The Triptych
by Vin Bersmak
Summary: After an economic collapse under Vaati's reign, Hyrule's extreme conservatism comes into question. Exploration around Holodrum, democratization of Labrynna, and industrialization of New Hyrule leaves Hyrule's ideas of absolute monarchy and magical purity obsolete, and with Vaati's search to resurrect a long-vanquished enemy, the looming threat of war draws ever closer. Canceled.
1. Tarm

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything relating to the Legend of Zelda. This applies to the entire story.

**Author's Notes**: RIGHT, so it's my first chapter of my first story on this site and I'm off to a terrible start. Vaati isn't supposed to be this nice. I'll make sure to rectify that at once. When I wrote this chapter, I was concentrating more on Tarm than on Vaati, and I only realized that he was way too nice after I finished and went back for editing. I would also like to apologize for the shortness.

Allow me to explain the title. I chose the title Triptych for two main reasons, the first of which I do not want to reveal now as you will see later on in the story. The second reason was because, early on in the development, the plot was split into three distinct parts. This has since changed; the parts have melded together, making the title seem slightly out of place. However, I decided to keep some of the distinction so as to be able to keep the title.

Now that I've cleared all that up, please enjoy!

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><p><strong>Tarm<strong>

Vaati sighed heavily and walked slowly through orange trees. _It's beautiful here, _he thought. Leaves fell gently to the forest floor, coloring it softly in mellow hues of red, yellow, and orange. A fox, melding perfectly with the background, quietly moved through light brown trunks toward a crystal clear stream.

Vaati was in Tarm Ruins. He absolutely loved it there. It was the epitome of tranquil peace, with cool, crisp air wafting through the branches, which themselves shaded the sun to create a soft, calming mood. There were no people there; Holodrum was sparsely populated. It felt nice to finally relax for a while after three attempts at conquering Hyrule.

But he wasn't in Tarm to relax; he was there to clear his head and arrange his thoughts without distractions. He was changing tactics, and he needed to be alone to think. His mood immediately soured. Vaati knew that he wouldn't be in peace for long. The Goddesses had a nasty habit of spoiling everything he did.

When the leaves parted, Vaati had a spectacular view of all of Holodrum from his mountainous perch. The greys and browns of the mountain quickly gave way to rolling green hills, scattered intermittently with placid blue lakes that twinkled brightly in the setting sun. A white sea sat contentedly next to beaches with sand whiter than the water beside it. A tiny village rested along the shores, giving off puffs of grey smoke from bright red chimneys.

Vaati stood in thought, looking out at the land below. People saw him as a cold, power hungry madman, but that wasn't entirely true. Vaati's primary goal wasn't gaining the powers of a God. He didn't put all his effort into ruling the land. The Goddesses, who dominated their kingdoms with an iron fist in a velvet glove, forced him into his war with the world. He absolutely hated them. They constantly destroyed what little beauty existed in the name of appreciation. If nothing ever threatened the people, they reasoned, then they would not be grateful for what they had.

Vaati spun around in anger and stormed back into the trees. Overthrowing the Goddesses and their pathetic followers was his goal; it was the only way to put an end to his conflict. He had already tried and failed on three occasions, each time tearing Hyrule to pieces before being halted at the last second by Link.

"Link," he spat in disgust. What a fool. The only reason the imbecile had been able to stop him was because he had the support of the Goddesses. Wielding the Triforce of Courage meant nothing to Vaati. If the Goddesses did not exist to support it, Vaati could have completely conquered Hyrule in an hour. The soldiers were weak, unable to hold their own against a disorganized group of Moblins. The king was a fat old fool who sat on his throne and ate everything in sight. His government was unstable and constantly on the verge of collapse. Vaati had provided the slight push needed three times before.

The worst of Hyrule, though, were the people. The average inhabitant was poor, stupid, and dull. They were not willing to work hard and advance in society because they felt there was no need to. The Goddesses decided their lot in life, and any attempts to change that were seen as disrespectful. They feared either divine punishment or ridicule from the fellow man. People had fallen for the illusion that the Goddesses were all-powerful and that people existed solely to worship them.

Vaati looked at his surroundings. Even the forest had been tainted by the Goddesses' touch before, but that had been hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago. It had since fully recovered, the trees having forgotten the soldiers that trampled their fertile soil.

A chilly, autumn breeze suddenly cut through the branches, piercing Vaati's thin purple tunic. He wrapped his cape around him in an attempt to stay warm. It was getting late, and he needed to get back to the tower.

Vaati had turned Tarm Ruins into a temporary home. Having summoned the furniture for comfortable living - a large, fluffy purple bed, a small iron stove, a table for eating and a few chairs - he had turned the top floor into his living quarters. He had lost his palace to the Goddesses when Link had invaded it, now having to settle for this.

The branches began to thin and Vaati found himself in a small clearing. Two steep hills protruded from the rock, a small bridge spanning the gap. Vaati walked down the ancient cobble road, taking in the sights as the sun began to dip below the horizon. The crisp air had a faint smell of a fresh rain with undertones of the sweet fragrance of autumn flowers. Birds sang to each other from the trees, and the faint, high-pitched call of a fox echoed in the distance.

The sun finally disappeared beneath the trees as Vaati walked quietly onto the bridge. It was nice to stop and admire the scenery. He hadn't done this since he was still a Minish. He was surprised at how well the long walk through the forest had cleared his head.

Vaati turned and looked to the north as the last rays of light illuminated the landscape. The expanse of land was great and unknown. Nobody had ever explored it, leaving it mysterious and untouched. As light faded, the scene slowly disappeared, becoming unrecognizable.

Looking upward, Vaati admired the stars. It was a New Moon; without its light, the stars seemed to shine ever brighter.

The sorcerer began to think about his course of action. An infamous symbol existed throughout the Goddess' land. Vaati would be hunting for that symbol; he would be hunting for the source of the Red Star Flag. The Goddesses themselves forbid anyone from searching for it, and had provided only enough information to scare people into complying.

He stared at the sky for a while longer before turning and walking inside. He needed rest. Tomorrow would see him beginning his search for a power that could finally destroy the Goddesses forever.


	2. Missing Mage

**Author's Notes: **Just to try and prevent possible confusion later on, the map I'll be using is a mix of just about every map since Zelda's origin, particularly those of Minish Cap and Zelda II.

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><p><strong>Missing Mage<strong>

Hyrule Castle Town was filled with the sounds of celebrations. Vendors sold their produce at incredibly low prices; Mama's Café was packed with customers; Wheaton and Pita's Bakery filled the streets with the strong scent of freshly baked bread. Hyrule had reason to celebrate; Vaati, the Sorcerer of Winds, had finally been defeated.

Link stood on a balcony high in Hyrule Castle, watching the sun's rays turn the sky a brilliant orange. The celebrations below made him happy; it was good to see Hyrule's first day of joy in over half a year. He watched the sun dip below the trees of Castor Wilds before slowly turning back inside.

His room was fit for royalty. A large, four-poster bed waited for him to join it in the corner of the room. A large dresser, filled with white and gold clothes of nobles provided by the king, rested opposite the bed. Beside the dresser, a desk with high quality quills, ink, and parchment, a large oak stand holding an embellished full-length mirror, and a small table with a basin full of water. Deep red bricks made up a fireplace next to his bed, the flickering tongues of fire licking at the glass cover. Between the door and the balcony, a deep forest green carpet embroidered with gold covered the floor. Paintings of Hyrule's majesty filled the walls; Link walked over to one and examined it. A masterpiece depicting Crenel Mountain and the hot springs it contained, its detail rivaled any painting he had ever seen. Link had every reason in the world to be content. Except…

_Except I failed, _he thought miserably. Suddenly disgusted with the picture, he spun around and went to stand in front of the fire. _How can I sit here with Hyrule still in danger?_

The story told to the citizens of Hyrule was very different than the one that was told to the king, Daltof XIV, behind the closed doors of the throne room. While Vaati had been defeated, he had managed to escape near the end of the battle. He was still on the loose.

Link sat on the bed and put his face in his hands, recounting what had transpired in the throne room…

XXXXXXXX

"Your Majesty," said Link, taking a deep bow. He was standing in Hyrule Castle's throne room, a large, open hall built of polished marble. A thick red carpet ran from the door to the throne, above which there was a monolithic stone carving of the Triforce. A small court was assembled around the throne, and Zelda stood to the right of her father.

Daltof nodded his head in acknowledgment, motioning for Link to continue.

"Your Majesty," Link repeated, standing. "I believe I have succeeded in my mission to defeat Vaati-"

The king raised his hand, intrigued. Link paused and clasped his hands behind his back, waiting for Daltof to speak.

"You believe?" asked the king.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Why do you merely believe?"

Link looked troubled. "Well, Your Highness, as you know, my clones and I battled with Vaati in the Palace of Winds. Our objective was to use the Four Sword to seal him away, as my incarnations had done in the past."

Daltof nodded. "I am aware. Continue."

"We were able to defeat him, as was the plan. But as we sealed him, something didn't seem quite... right."

There was silence for a moment. "Didn't seem quite right," repeated the king.

Link nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. When we sealed him within the sword, I could feel his essence shrinking in the room, his power lessening. But just as we finished, his essence seemed to just... explode, or disperse. It just shot out of the room every which way, and then was gone.

The King took a moment to process this. A noble interjected. "His essence dispersed?"

"Yes."

Silence. "But that can't be right. If he was indeed sealed within the Four Sword, as you say, his power and spirit would have been shrunken down into nothing and been locked within the enchanted blade."

Link nodded.

"But you say his essence seemed to disperse, and shot out of the room in all directions, rather than condensing to the blade?" asked Daltof.

Link nodded again. The king sat back in his chair and rubbed his forehead, worried.

"Then what you are trying to tell me is..."

Link swallowed nervously. "Yes sir. I believe Vaati may have escaped. He is still out there somewhere."

There was dead silence in the court as the news sank in. Vaati was still alive, and still at large. It was the worst thing the Royal Court could have been told.

Princess Zelda broke the silence. "Then we should send out search parties! We cannot rest until Vaati has been found and subdued! We-"

Link shook his head. "It would do no good. Vaati will be long gone by now, regaining his strength, and if he doesn't want us to find him then we certainly won't be doing anything of the sort. Besides, the people are ecstatic that he's gone; how do you think they'd react to finding out he's still out there? Could you hide such a large-scale search from all Hyrule?"

Zelda fell into silent consideration.

The King sighed heavily. "It is probably for the best if we simply wait and see if Vaati acts. If he does, we will have to fight him again, but Goddesses willing he'll have learned his lesson this time. In the meantime, Link, get some rest, as I'm sure you need it. Court dismissed."

XXXXXXXX

Link was shaken from his reverie when he heard a knock on the door. Standing, he opened it to find Zelda at the threshold.

"May I come in?" she asked, noting his miserable expression.

"Yes, of course," said Link. He motioned toward the bed. "Have a seat if you'd like." Zelda sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at Link, who stood in the middle of the room, staring at the fire.

After several minutes, Link broke the silence. "What are we going to do, Zelda?" he asked quietly.

She spoke with gentle compassion. "We wait. I know what you went through on your quest, and I understand that you want to find him, but we can do nothing except pray to the Goddesses that he does not return."

Link sighed heavily. "I suppose you're right. There's no point in worrying over things that we have no control of." He forced a smile. "After all, this is Hyrule's first day of peace in eight months."

"Yes, yes it is," said Zelda. They lapsed back into silence. When Link yawned, Zelda stood to make her leave. "I'll ask Father to post watches throughout the country. If he comes back, at least we'll be warned. Get some rest; you've gone without a respite for far too long."

Link escorted her to the door. "Farewell, then. We'll speak more of the issue in the morning." Zelda kissed his cheek, bowed slightly, and then left.

Link stood at the door for a while before closing it and falling into a deep sleep.


	3. The Trail

**Author's Notes: **Wow this took forever. I blame Skyward Sword.

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><p><strong>The Trail<strong>

The table was an absolute mess from the papers, books, and scrolls that were strewn across it. One of the chairs was piled in a similar fashion, and loose papers and pamphlets lay scattered across the cobble floor. Bright, yellow light streamed in from the window, lighting a section of the room. A lit torch hung beside a thick oak door with iron bands running across it.

Vaati had spent almost a week studying everything he had taken with him from his palace. It was tiring and relentless work, made worse by the fact that it was completely unrewarding. Out of the many parchments he had scanned, the scrolls he had read, and the books he had painstakingly worked through, none had any information on the Red Star. It was as if it didn't exist at all.

Hope of success was deteriorating quickly. Vaati had only a small pile of books left to go through, and only one of them looked like it would contain the information he needed. Reaching for it, Vaati opened the cover, only to find that the pages within had been eaten away by insects. Infuriated, he threw it against the wall and blasted it with magic.

Vaati put his head in his hands and tried to calm himself. _The Red Star can't have just simply disappeared. There have to be signs of it somewhere, _he thought, trying to coax himself into continuing. He nodded to himself once before thinking miserably, _Unless it never existed in the first place._

Looking at the last two books with contempt, he abruptly stood and stomped toward his bed, grabbing and donning his cape. If he couldn't find anything here, he decided, then he might as well not find anything in the relative comfort of Horon's library. He was about to jam his cap on his head when he thought better of it. Though it had been centuries since he had publicly taken on the form of a Hylian, Vaati didn't want anyone recognizing the Wishing Cap he wore, even though it was only a replica.

A scowl formed on his face as he grabbed his wallet. It annoyed him to have to buy things instead of taking them by force. After his escape from Link and the Four Sword, Vaati wanted to avoid attracting attention. If Link learned of his location, it would spell disaster.

Adjusting his hair and smoothing the wrinkles out of his tunic, Vaati snapped his fingers and vanished.

Vaati blinked back into existence in a forest just off the road to Horon. A sudden wave of heat hit him; he had forgotten that Holodrum's seasons were famously inconsistent. The heat seemed to suck the energy out of him until he cooled the air around him with magic. Making sure nobody was coming, he stepped out of the trees and onto the dirt path.

Horon, though the capital of Holodrum, was still small; by Hyrule's standards, it would only qualify as an average town. Despite that, it took up nearly as much space as a small city due to the spacing of its buildings and many open parks. A cool breeze ushered Vaati under an arch and between the first buildings.

The people of Horon were warm and friendly, going about their business calmly and without hurry. Trying to avoid as many as he could, he quickly slipped down an alley and onto a side street. They may be more cut off from Hyrule than anyone else, but Vaati still was not about to trust them.

Working his way around as many crowds as he could, Vaati eventually stood before Horon's library. The long, low building was bland compared to Hyrule's magnificent architecture. Instead of great, carved walls imbedded with rare and precious stones, it was constructed entirely of large wooden logs. The door was low and narrow, and there were fewer windows. Vaati pulled open the door and stepped inside.

Vaati was immediately disappointed by the amount of books. Though the library was small from the outside, it seemed to shrink even more once inside. A scowl began to form on his face as he took in the contents of the room. The small amount of shelves held few books, though most appeared to be old. His eyes skipped form the fireplace to the reading tables to the front desk...

_Ah yes, _he thought, looking back at the gawking young woman who sat behind the counter. It had been ages since anyone had seen him in the form of a Hylian; he had almost forgotten how much of an effect it had on women. His scowl turned into a sly grin. Vaati began to walk further into the building, winking to her as he passed. The poor girl almost fainted.

Vaati walked among the rows for a while, picking out various books that caught his attention. After several minutes of gathering, he set the pile on a table, sat down in the armchair, and began leafing through pages.

XXXXXXXX

Vaati quietly muttered curses to himself. He had been sitting in the same chair for over two hours, yet he was still no closer to finding anything even slightly relating to the Red Star and its origins.

Slamming a book on the table, he abruptly stood angrily and began to leave.

"Excuse me, sir, may I help you?"

Vaati whirled around, a snappish retort leaving his mouth. "Of course not, you wor-" He cut himself short when he saw it was the librarian from earlier. Staring awkwardly at each other, an idea began to form in Vaati's head. Perhaps he was looking in the wrong places. If the Goddesses did not want anyone to learn of the Red Star, they would have made sure to erase any records of its existence. However, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to destroy verbal stories and rumours.

Vaati gave her a sweet smile, bowing slightly. "Apologies. I'm Gufuu, a historian from Hyrule," he said, trying to create a semi-believable story. "I've been searching for information on a certain subject for a few weeks now, and so far, I've been unsuccessful. Do you think you can help me?" Vaati have her his most pleading look.

The girl stared in awe at him. He was gorgeous; a perfectly smooth, angular face, the right half of which was covered by straight, lavender hair. A small, sharp nose accented his visibly soft lips, and his eyes! The girl felt she could stare into the depths of those ruby eyes for ages.

Vaati snapped his fingers in her face. "Do you think you can help me?" he repeated, this time a bit more impatient. He was used to having girls stare at him, but this was just ridiculous.

The librarian shook her head, immediately dropping her gaze to avoid eye contact. "I'm sorry," she said, blushing. "What are you searching for?"

"I'm looking for information on the Red Star Flag. Do you know anything about the subject?"

Her gaze shot back up. Everyone knew of the Red Star; the infamous symbol was associated with many terrifying stories of death, destruction, and war. It was said that the Goddesses themselves had to fight off its armies, lest the entire world fall under its dark blanket.

"I'm afraid I don't know many of the details, except that it was the cause of much misery."

"Unfortunate. Is there anyone I can see to learn more?"

The librarian thought for a moment before responding. "There's an old storyteller who lives next to Tick Tock's Clock Shop just down the main road. He's the only one I can think of."

"Thank you," Vaati said, making another bow. With that, he swept out of the library and back onto the street. The sun was still relatively high in the sky; Vaati judged it to be mid-afternoon. Locating the main road, he heading further into town in search of the Clock Shop.

Vaati found it near the town center. On top of the store, a large red clock was mounted on a tower. Beside the building was an evidently old home. Despite the chipping paint and crooked porch, a friendly sign still hung next to the door, inviting him in.

Vaati entered and was greeted by the sight of several young children sitting around a wrinkled man with an incredibly long, white beard. "…And so," said the old man, "the twisted mass of the castle began to crumble. Our hero took Princess Zelda by the hand and led her through the maze of hallways, back to the castle gate.

"_CRASH!" _ he suddenly shouted, causing the kids to jump. "The ceiling fell before them, blocking their exit. The trio went back to the courtyard, intending to escape into the Elemental Sanctuary, when suddenly lightning struck before them.

"Our hero was separated from the princess, transported to a surreal dimension full of bright, pulsating colours. There he did the final battle against the giant eye. The mage fought bitterly, but in the end, Link triumphed. Vaati, the Sorcerer of Winds, was defeated, Hyrule was renewed, and peace was restored."

Vaati stood awkwardly on the threshold, nervously eyeing the old man. He hadn't expected to walk in to find his own story being told, and if he were discovered, there would be no rest from Link.

The kids began clamoring around the storyteller, begging for more. After several minutes, the old man sent a sparkling magical butterfly out the window, prompting the kids to chase it. Once they left, the old man addressed Vaati. "May I help you, young man?" he said in a raspy voice.

Vaati quickly tried to regain composure, smiling warmly. "Yes, I was told you could tell me about the Red Star."

"Indeed I can, though I only know what I have heard about in Labrynna, and that is very limited," he said, motioning for Vaati to sit in one of the armchairs. The man lit his pipe, then began. "The Red Star was the flag of an ancient kingdom, one supposedly as old as the Goddesses themselves. It was a powerful kingdom; its vast land and great army made it a formidable opponent. When Hyrule and the Kingdom of the Red Star first encountered each other, it was a peaceful exchange. Their explorers first made contact with Labrynna, and later with Hyrule. However, it became evident that their imperialism sought to take control of the Goddess' land.

"A series of brutal wars ensued, sending Hyrule and Labrynna into chaos. After years of fighting, the Goddesses intervened, imprisoning their kingdom with white magic and sealing their people away. The Goddesses then forbid anyone from entering their lands. They were a powerful foe, and the Goddesses feared they would break free from their imprisonment if Hylians settled the lands.

"Little more is known about them. Labrynna supposedly has a few records of their first meeting, but nothing more. I'd suggest visiting my old friend at Eyeglass Isle Library. He would surely be able to help you more than I."

Vaati smiled again and stood. "Thank you. Your knowledge has proven to be extremely helpful."

"Why is it that you seek this information, may I ask?" asked the old man before Vaati could leave. The sorcerer tensed.

"I'm a historian from Hyrule. King Daltof himself commissioned me to learn more about the subject."

The old man suddenly became critical of Vaati, eyeing him with suspicion. "But that can't be true. The Goddesses forbid it."

"That may be, but I cannot disobey my king. I should be leaving now."

"I think I recognize you. What's your name?"

Vaati shot him a threatening look, malice glinting in his eyes. "I'll not divulge that."

The old man scrutinized him a while longer before nodding. "I understand. Good luck."

Relaxing a little, Vaati went to make his leave. Before he could open the door however, the old man's voice called out. "Sir, I believe you forgot this."

Vaati turned back around. In the old man's hand was a replica of the Wishing Cap.

A quick flurry of spells filled the small room of the house. Vaati attacked the old man, but was caught off guard by his strength. Returning with spells of his own, the storyteller pushed Vaati on the defensive. An explosion tore through the wooden walls, caused by a stray energy sphere.

The resulting hole drew attention from outside. Shouts of alarm rang out through the streets, causing soldiers to arrive from the nearby barracks. Everyone fell silent when they noticed the purple mage.

"To Stone With You!" shouted Vaati, directing his spell at the old man. Despite the storyteller's strength, he was no match for the sorcerer. His body froze in place, turning into cold rock. Vaati immediately warped from the scene.

XXXXXXXX

Gathering up what he thought he needed, Vaati prepared to leave. His wallet, hat, and some food were all accounted for, as well as five large, detailed maps of Holodrum, Labrynna, Hyrule, New Hyrule, and the Great Sea. Unrolling the map of Labrynna on the table, he quickly located Eyeglass Isle and noted its coordinates. He couldn't stay in Holodrum any longer; he had already drawn enough attention.

Throwing the map into his tiny magical pouch, Vaati snapped his fingers and vanished from Holodrum.


	4. Eyeglass Isle

**Eyeglass Isle**

Word that Vaati had been sighted in Holodrum had somehow spread to Labrynna by the time he arrived just outside of Lynna City; no doubt a fellow magician had warped ahead and sounded the alarm. The sun was setting, and Vaati's hopes of finding an inn to stay at were dashed.

From his vantage point atop a hill, he could see the edge of the city swarming with activity. Soldiers rushed from the barracks and armories, evacuating citizens into the heart of Lynna, setting up barricades on the roads, and taking up defensive positions.

Vaati shook with rage. If that stupid old man hadn't recognized him, then things would be progressing smoother. Finding anything about the Red Star was challenging enough as it was; he didn't need the added pressure of being hunted by the servants of the Goddesses.

Vaati raised his hand to blast the closest barricade with magic before stopping and scolding himself mentally. _No,_ _that would only make things worse. _As far as he knew, nobody was aware of his presence in Labrynna, and everyone assumed he was still in Holodrum.

Judging the time based on the sun, he decided to go straight to Eyeglass Isle Library without resting. He was tired, but the longer he waited, the greater chance he had of being discovered. Making up his mind, he warped away from Lynna City.

Vaati reappeared in a small grove across the island from the library. Humid and salty air assaulted him with each breath, the water from the splashing waves traveling straight to his nose. The library was a magnificent structure to behold. Unblemished white stone made up great pillars and arches, elegantly framing the dark oak doors. Several stories of windows overlooked the island and the surrounding sea, each exuding a warm light in the advancing darkness. A huge open book was carved into the roof.

Noticing the lights on the upper floor go out one by one, Vaati grinned. The library's open hours had passed, and almost nobody would be inside. Setting a brisk pace toward the entrance, he confidently climbed the stairs and pushed open the door.

A lone Zora shelved books in the isles, half obscured from Vaati's position at the door. The librarian, an old man in yellow robes, descended the stairs from the second floor. Without looking up, he addressed Vaati in a gravely voice. "It's a little late to be here, don't you think? We're closing down for the night."

Without giving either a chance to react, Vaati sent both to the ground, their legs and arms bound by magic. The librarian crashed down the remaining stairs. "I thought you might be able to help one last scholar before the day ended," Vaati said, menacingly approaching the groaning figure.

The librarian's eyes widened when he saw the sorcerer, expressing a mix of shock and fear. "What do you-" he cut himself short, hissing as a spike of agony shot into his side. "What do you want?" he repeated, his voice shaking.

"Nothing, really, just a little information," said Vaati slowly, pacing around the fallen librarian. "This is a library, after all."

"You are a traitor to the Goddesses, villain, and will get nothing from me," spat the old man through ragged breaths.

"I'm surprised you recognized me so quickly. You must be well read in your history," Vaati continued, ignoring him. "So tell me, what do you know about the Red Star?

"Nothing," hissed the old man.

Vaati waved his arm around him. "There certainly must be something here about that cursed symbol. All I need to know is what it is." Vaati paused for a moment, waiting for the man to respond. When he didn't, Vaati said, "My intentions are not evil, I'll have you know."

"What could you possibly want other than to destroy the Goddess' lands? You have brought nothing to Hyrule but pain and suffering, and I won't allow you to use my knowledge to further your ambitions. You are evil, sorcerer, and nothing can change that."

"Ah, that is where you are wrong. You see, I met the Red Star inside the seal of the Four Sword. A great force it was; a huge, single entity that constantly seemed to push outward into its surroundings without ever moving. When the seal was broken and I escaped, I feared it too would be freed, but it refused to budge. I intend to destroy it before it does decide to rejoin the world, but I can't do that without knowledge of what it is. So I'll ask you again. What does this library hold?"

The librarian remained silent. He couldn't tell if Vaati was lying or not; the Sorcerer of Winds that had terrorized Hyrule was evil, no doubt, but he was so convincing…

"Speak, you old fool!" barked Vaati. When the librarian remained silent, Vaati snapped his fingers and teleported the young Zora boy between them. "You will give me what I want," continued Vaati in a voice that froze the air around him, "or you will be responsible for the loss of innocent life."

When a response failed to come, Vaati snapped his fingers again. The Zora boy screamed in pain as electricity shot through his body, intensifying as the torture went on. Reduced to a writhing mass on the floor, the Zora's hoarse voice continued to scream while his tormentor watched impassively.

The old man watched in horror as the torture went on…

…And on…

"Stop!" he finally shouted. The torture ceased, the Zora left to gasp in ragged breaths, smoke tendrils trialing from his singed blue skin. "I'll give you what you seek," the librarian said in a shaking, resigned voice. "Just don't hurt him anymore."

Vaati sneered in victory. "Good."

Finding his legs and arms freed, the librarian stood and shakily led Vaati upstairs. In the corner of the library, he drew out an ancient book and handed it to the mage. "Everything we have is in that book. Now please, take it, and may we never see you again."

"Of course," Vaati said, taking the musty book. Suddenly pointing at the librarian, a spell left his lips. "To Stone With You!" he shouted, extending the spell to the Zora downstairs. When both were unconscious and immobile, Vaati took the candle from the librarian and had a seat at a table. Cracking the window slightly for air, he opened the dusty cover and began searching.

XXXXXXXX

Vaati was nodding off by the time he finally found what he was looking for. The entry was short, only two pages in length, half of the first being taken up by a large picture of the Red Star Flag. Excitement coursed through him, washing away his tiredness. Finally, after months of effort put forth since he escaped the seal, he had finally succeeded in finding written records of the Kingdom of the Red Star.

Trying not to get his hopes up too high, Vaati began reading.

_The Kingdom of the Red Star was a powerful nation as old as the Goddesses themselves. It first made contact with Labrynna shortly after the events of the Oracle Quests. Their explorers arrived on five massive ships from the east, two of which carried unknown weapons of extreme destruction. After a brief exchange, they departed, and the people of the Goddess' Realm celebrated for a new addition to their lands. However, when they next returned, they brought with them sixteen warships, attacking and capturing the city of Lynna. Sweeping through the country, they conquered and plundered their way north until they were stopped by the Goddess' Golden Army._

_The ensuing war lasted four years. The numbers of dead and wounded quickly mounted on the Goddess' side, making it clear that the Red Army had divine help of their own from unknown gods. Their armies were great. They marched onward against the Golden Army, pushing it back to the point of breaking. In a desperate attempt to end the war, the Goddesses joined with the greatest magicians in the land and sealed away the Red Star in the Four Sword. The Goddesses, never again wanting the Great Evil to be unleashed, hid away the Four Sword and forbid anyone from entering the lands of the Red Star._

_The destructive power of the Red Star still exists, hidden away by the Goddesses, lest it break free and once again threaten the world. Armies of crimson soldiers, dyed in the blood of their enemies, would march forth upon the lands and wreak havoc, all in the name of the Red Star Flag._

The page rustled from a breeze that entered through the window, bringing the paper to life. Snapping in the wind was the Red Star Flag, the great Bringer of War. Below, the letters became rows of soldiers that marched off the page, threatening to blot out anything that stood in their way. Onward they advanced, forcing their way into Vaati's mind and turning his vision red. Nothing filled his ears but the sound of footsteps and snares, and he smelled blood.

Vaati shook his head to clear his mind. What had occurred startled him, and for the first time, he began to doubt the wisdom of his quest. Everything known about the Red Star made it seem powerful, destructive, and near invincible. If he succeeded, it could mean the death of everyone in the known world, including him.

Convincing himself that it was just the lack of sleep getting to him, Vaati read the last few lines.

_Only one known example of the Red Star exists outside of the seal. Recorded by the Hero of Ages, a ghost ship bearing the flag is said to sail the Secret Maze on the Sea off of Labrynna's coast. Seeking it out is folly; since the events of the Oracle Quests, none have entered the maze and returned._

Vaati leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. Perhaps locating the ship would help him understand where it came from and what its purpose was. He scoffed at the idea of getting lost; if the Hero of Ages, one of that idiot Link's previous incarnations, could navigate it successfully, then finding what he was looking for would be no problem. _Besides, _Vaati thought with a grin, _the Secret Maze on the Sea is dangerous for ships, not beings capable of flight._

He was still nervous, however, of what would happen if he succeeded. The Kingdom of the Red Star was no doubt dangerous, but would they reward the one who freed them? Deciding to sleep on the matter, Vaati put the book in his pouch, set up magical defenses around the library, and lay down to rest.


	5. Tempting Fate

**Author's Notes: **I'm sorry for being so slow. This one is a bit longer and needed some research and design, if that's an acceptable excuse. Spot the impossible dialogue if you can!

**Disclaimer: **Any and all publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are properties of their respective owners. I own the TSS _Indefatigable_ and the Thoridian Empire.

* * *

><p><strong>Tempting Fate<strong>

Link and Zelda ambled along the main road of Hyrule's Castle Town, reveling in the good mood of the citizens. Celebrations of Vaati's defeat were, much to Link's surprise, still going strong. Young men and boys challenged each other in feats of strength, musicians filled the streets with light, dancing music, and mouth-watering aromas of various meats and sweets pervaded every corner of the city.

"Hmph, some hero you are," said Zelda, sniffing with mock disdain in Link's direction. "The only reason you won that match was through brute strength."

"It's not my fault the sword was balanced wrong," responded Link. "Besides, there was only one of me this time, and I'm not used to fighting like that. It also doesn't help that I was outnumbered and you kept distracting me. Not to mention th-"

"That the sun was in my eyes, and it was slippery, and my back hurt, and I don't even know what a sword is," interrupted the mocking voice. Link glared at Zelda, provoking a fit of laughter. Link tried to maintain the façade, but could not help joining her.

Over the past few days, Zelda had managed to brighten Link's mood, distracting him from his sullen restlessness by inviting him to wander the city with her on several occasions. Link was grateful for her friendly openness.

The two carried on through the town, not really going anywhere but enjoying each other's company. Several times people called out to Link, cheering and praising him for his victory. They eventually stopped in a park, sitting on one of the stone benches and exchanging anecdotes about their experiences during Vaati's reign.

"Vaati was such a girl," said Zelda, much to the amusement of Link. "He was usually in his Hylian form when in the palace, and I would never have expected such an evil villain to look so effeminate."

Link suppressed his laughter long enough to say, "He certainly didn't put up much of a fight against my own epic masculinity."

Zelda slapped him in the leg. "Quit being such a narcissist." It was true, though. Link had been strong to begin with, granted with unnatural strength through his connection to the Triforce of Courage, but his adventure had added huge amounts of muscle.

"Link!" interrupted a shout from across the park. A man dressed in light, ornate armour jogged toward them, beaming.

"Edric!" exclaimed Link, standing. "It's good to see you again!"

"Sir Edric now, actually." The short, brown haired man grinned. "Daltof saw fit to knight me after I led several successful counterattacks against Vaati and Ganon's monsters. Not that I'll ever measure up to you, though. You defeated both Vaati and Ganon almost single-handedly!"

Link chuckled. "Well, I hardly did it by myself, but you flatter me nonetheless. What brings you here?"

Edric bowed deeply as Zelda stood, noticing her presence for the first time. "Your majesty." Zelda blushed and mumbled something about it being unnecessary. Turning his attention back to Link, he continued. "Nothing at all, really. This is just the first time I've been able to escape the politics of the monarchy since you defeated Ganon. I decided to take a walk in the park, and lo and behold! I find you, and with the Princess no less."

"Well, I'm glad you did find me. It's been, what, months since we last saw each other? It was definitely well before Vaati decided to launch his ill-conceived plan against Hyrule."

Edric laughed. "Yes, didn't he try to take over by kidnapping the shrine maidens? How ridiculous is that? Honestly, it's as if he wasn't even trying to break the spirit of Hyrule. Even so, sometimes I'm surprised by the Hylians' perseverance, despite being a member of the race myself." A great bell in the distance chimed, signaling the arrival of evening. "Is that the time? Dear Nayru it's gotten late, and we've only just started talking. Say, Link, would you mind if we conversed further at a later date? I'd like to hear your stories, since you _are _the Legendary Hero now."

"Absolutely. Daltof gave me my own room in the castle, so why not talk there? I'll only let you in on one condition, though."

"What's that?"

Link grinned. "You stop calling me a hero."

Edric shrugged, laughing. "Very well. Will three days from now be all right? I have more matters to attend to, being a Sir and all."

Link nodded. "Well, it's not like I have anything to do now but sit around and become fat. Three days it is."

"Excellent! I'll be off, then. Farewell." Edric gave another bow to Zelda and strolled away, whistling merrily.

"Who was that?" asked Zelda once he was out of earshot.

"I'm surprised you didn't know him. He's a friend of mine I met before I had to come and rescue you." This earned him another slap. "What was that for?"

"For being a brainless ox, that's what."

"Well, look who's being grateful. See if I save you again." Both laughed at the hollow threat; Zelda and Link were practically inseparable.

The two continued to wander the town until it started to get dark and people began to trickle back to their homes. Throughout, Zelda watched Link carefully, noting his increasing agitation as the sun receded over the horizon. As they returned to the castle, his condition continued to decline to the point where he shifted uncomfortably at every contact and muttered nervously to himself.

"Link," Zelda finally said, grabbing hold of his arm. He flinched at the touch. "Calm."

Link's chest deflated as he slumped against a building. "Sorry," he said, genuinely upset. "You know I get anxious, and I can't help it. Tonight is worse for some reason." He stood there for a while, taking slow, deep breaths.

"Come on, let's get you back inside," said Zelda, pulling on him. It was like trying to uproot a tree. "Link."

He pushed himself forward, allowing Zelda to lead him down the road. They slowly traveled through the courtyard and into the castle, Zelda leading Link to his room.

"Go straight to bed," instructed Zelda. "No pacing. You'll feel better if you sleep."

Link nodded, entering his room. "Goodnight."

Zelda kissed him on the cheek, smiling up at him. "Goodnight, Link."

Link's expression softened slightly, and he smiled back. "Thank you. For everything."

Zelda blushed, but was saved from embarrassment when Link had the sense to close his door. She quietly returned to her quarters, content with her efforts.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A ferocious gust of wind slammed against Vaati's magical barriers, accompanied by ice-cold raindrops as hard as rocks. The perpetual storm clouds overhead were black and thick, blocking out the thin evening light and bringing lightning and thunder. Below, white-crested waves hundreds of feet high rolled with incredible force.

Vaati watched as a black ship raced down the side of a wave, _Indefatigable _painted in large gold letters at the stern. Above the quarterdeck were the flying colours of the Red Star Flag. Locating the ship had taken hours of flying through the endless storm, a fact that greatly upset Vaati.

The _Indefatigable _was not what Vaati had expected. Unlike the single mast ships the Hylians preferred, it sailed under three, each fully rigged to catch the buffeting wind. It was also considerably larger than other ships he had seen, sitting both wider and longer in the water.

A flash of nervousness overcame Vaati as he studied the ship. The reputation of the Red Star, combined with the appearance of the ship itself, made it seem like an impenetrable ocean fortress. Iron cannons lined the deck, tied down by ropes as thick as his arms. Ghostly men in deep blue and grey uniforms fought to hold the ship against the storm.

Vaati slowed the air rotations of his cyclone, allowing himself to drop toward the sea. He stopped just above the crests of the waves, in plain sight of the ship. Drops of airborne water sprayed him from the waves. The _Indefatigable _climbed to his level, hanging for a moment on the crest, then dropped back into the trough with increased speed. Shouts from the crewmembers and the captain drifted in and out of hearing, but despite the proximity, nobody paid Vaati any attention.

Satisfied, Vaati moved above the ship, letting it rise toward him. With a barely audible _thud, _his feet connected with the quarterdeck. When his presence remained unnoticed, he studied his surroundings. White sails blocked the sky in front and to the sides of him, the ship's flag blocking it to the back. At the helm was the ship's captain; defined by the gold embroidered blue coat and a large, two-pointed hat he wore.

Despite feeling dizzy from the rocking, Vaati quickly making his way down to the main deck, reviewing what he knew about ships. The information immediately proved to be useless; all he knew was that they sailed on water. Picking the first door he saw, Vaati stepped out of the rain and beneath the quarterdeck.

Vaati immediately grinned. Throughout the cabin was a series of maps, compasses, and various navigational instruments. A great table occupied the center of the cabin, filled with rolled up maps and a book with the words _Log of the_ _TSS Indefatigable. _Excited at the prospect of finding the location of the mysterious empire, Vaati unrolled the first map.

The maps varied in size and importance, often being very small in scale and labeled with various hazards and currents. He was grateful for forcing himself to eat an enchanted Jabber Nut centuries ago, allowing him to read in other languages as well as understand them. Vaati sorted through almost all of the maps before grabbing the largest and thickest of the pile. Opening it, he began studying.

A large landmass filled the right half of the map. Two peninsulas were visible, one extending from the mainland into the west and one from the far north toward the mainland. Another long, thin one extended from the south, cutting into an enclosed sea. A Great Island, slightly disconnected from the mainland, occupied the sea to the north. The center of the map contained nautical positions, lines connecting them with the land. The west was blank, except for a small cluster of islands far in the west. A great chunk of the continent, including the island, was covered in large black letters reading _Thoridian Empire._

Vaati suddenly recognized the island group as the Great Sea. _That would mean…_

Hastily pulling out his map of New Hyrule, he compared the westernmost peninsula on the ship's map with his own. The two looked exactly alike. Vaati gripped the table, his knuckles going white. After a year of searching, he had finally found the lost kingdom. A wide smile spread across his face.

_Success at last! _he thought to himself.

Gathering up the ship's maps as well as his own, he prepared to warp to New Hyrule. A final, smug thought entered his mind just before he left. _The Goddesses are going to be in for quite a surprise._


	6. The New World

**Disclaimer: **Any and all publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are properties of their respective owners. I own everything associated with the Thoridian Empire.

**Author's Notes: **Go Captain Slow! I rearranged the New Hyrule map, so it won't be like it is in the game.

**The New World**

Vaati looked himself over, thinking his disguise was brilliant. Alerts throughout the Goddess' Realms of his presence, as well as the fact that he was easily recognizable now that his Hylian form was becoming widely known, had forced him to magically alter his appearance. He now stood in front of a mirror, making sure everything was in order.

His old attire had been abandoned in favor of the odd fashions of New Hyrule. Vaati was surprised at how different the cultures of Hyrule and New Hyrule were. In comparison to his old outfit of poofy pants, a tunic, and sandals, the suit he now wore was stiff and enclosed. The formal trousers and shiny black shoes, as well as the brown overcoat, felt uncomfortable. To add to the disguise, Vaati carried a large trunk full of spare clothes and accessories.

Despite these complaints, Vaati decided that disguising himself to blend in with his surroundings was worth it. He also couldn't deny that his new outfit _did _make him look extremely professional.

On top of his change of clothes, Vaati used magic to change his facial appearance. His hair, now sleek and black, was neatly trimmed and combed back. His jaw line was less defined, hiding behind round and slightly puffy cheeks. His nose was now long and perfectly straight, and his eyes no longer flashed red, instead appearing calm and blue.

As much as he hated it, Vaati decided it would be better to alter his personality and search methods. If he entered a conflict like he had in Holodrum, there would be nowhere left to run. He dared not teleport into or near the Thoridian Empire for fear of triggering magical traps, and servants of the Goddesses were combing everywhere else. Therefore, it would be safer if he acted very polite to deter anyone who might get suspicious otherwise.

Vaati went over his appearance once more, pleased. Leaving the back room, he returned to the main section of the shop. The clerk, who was scribbling figures down behind the counter, looked up at him.

"I think I'll buy this one," said Vaati, referring to the fine coat he had chosen earlier from the numerous racks in the shop.

"An excellent choice, sir. Two hundred rupees for the coat."

Vaati reached into his wallet, drawing upon his never-ending supply of rupees. Only the most skilled magicians could summon realistic rupees, and Vaati was the best of the best. Vaati paid for his coat and made his leave.

Papuchia City, for that was where he was, saw the most trade of any other city in New Hyrule. A port city on the west coast, it served to connect sea trade between Hyrule and New Hyrule, and was one of two major railway junctions between the north and the south. The wealth the city accumulated was apparent everywhere; the stone brick and mortar roads were straight and smooth; fancy, well-constructed buildings lined the streets; magical lanterns hung over the streets at regular intervals on tall, decorative, wrought iron posts. Even the people who filled the streets were, in their own way, the epitome of wealthy style. The men were tidy, wearing suits of fine cloth, occasionally with bowlers or top hats. The women were extravagant, lavishing upon their expensive dresses of silk and lace. More often than not, Vaati saw women wearing huge hats filled with feathers. Many carried flamboyant parasols to shade themselves from the sun.

Overall, he was impressed. The city had a splendor that rivaled that of Hyrule, and it was undoubtedly more organized.

Vaati made his way down the coast promenade, heading toward the railway station in the city center. Out in the bay, great commerce ships moored and unloaded, while others took on cargo to send back to Hyrule. Fishing boats came and went, bringing in a steady supply of fresh food to trade with.

Feeling classy, Vaati pulled out his pocket watch to check the time. It was supposedly self-winding, but Vaati had no idea what that meant or how it worked. All he knew was that it was expensive and it said the time was 2:07. Having received only a small amount of rest over the last two days, Vaati wanted to reach the capital by nightfall and find an inn to sleep at. From there, he would travel northeast by train until the rails ended and the border between New Hyrule and the Thoridian Empire was in sight.

For the first time in his life, Vaati heard the faint sound of a train whistle. The sound seemed to embody everything New Hyrule was; Lonely and isolated, yet simultaneously promising and thriving. He allowed himself a quick grin and quickened his pace.

The disguise Vaati took on attracted no attention, something he was glad for. By simply maintaining a cool and collected appearance, the infamous sorcerer was able to blend in perfectly with the general public. Therefore, it came to him as no surprise when he arrived at the station half an hour later without encountering any difficulties.

The station was magnificent. A huge, ornate marble building, it dominated the end of a long boulevard that ran all the way to the harbor. Behind the building, steam and smoke issued up over the domed roof, and an occasional whistle could be heard. Even as he watched, a locomotive approached from the south, pulling a long line of passenger cars.

Vaati climbed up the shallow steps toward the revolving glass doors. The inside of the station was even more beautiful than the outside. Smooth and polished benches filled the enormous chamber, where people sat waiting for their trains to arrive. The dome was a massive skylight, allowing the sun to enter the chamber unhindered. Positioned regularly throughout the room were post-mounted clocks, each ticking in perfect unison. He bypassed all of this and made his way straight to the back where the ticket counters and platform stairs were located. He chose an empty queue, noting the ticket choices.

"I'd like a first class cabin on the soonest train you have to the capital," he addressed to the man behind the counter. The clerk pulled a ticket from one of the various slots in front of him, checked two boxes indicating destination and departure time, and handed it to Vaati.

"Eighty rupees," said the man. Vaati, who had already pulled out the money, handed it to the clerk. The money disappeared below the counter with a few ringing clinks. "Thank you, sir. Your train is on platform four and leaves in five minutes, so I suggest you hurry."

Vaati thanked the man and quickly made his way down to his platform. The sound of hissing steam dominated all other noises, coming from the several locomotives that were stopped in the tall covered building over the platforms. Having never seen one before, he found them elegant in a hard, mechanical sense. They seemed naked; their thick, muscular components were shamelessly visible to everyone, making them seem beautifully intimidating.

Rushing to make it aboard in time, Vaati approached the conductor outside the nearest car. The conductor, who was wearing a blue button down coat and a red hat, bowed to him. "Ticket, please," he said. Taking the ticket, the conductor punched two holes over the check marks the clerk had made earlier. Handing the paper slip back to Vaati, the conductor said, "Your cabin is two cars down, third on the left. A conductor will collect your ticket shortly before your stop. Have a nice trip!"

The conductor bowed again as Vaati climbed aboard. Vaati quickly found and situated himself in his cabin. It was a small room, with a soft padded bench on the left, a covered sleeper on the right, and a table in the center. Above the sleeper was a shelf for luggage, which Vaati immediately utilized to rid himself of the trunk. From there, he contented himself with sitting on the bench and waiting for departure.

Almost immediately after sitting down, the conductors outside blew their whistles and signaled the all aboard. Following a short pause, the locomotive sounded her own whistle. With a sudden lurch, they started moving. Vaati could hear the chuffing of the locomotive steadily quicken, and the movement of the car became smoother. Then, with a flash of sunlight, they burst into the open.

Vaati stared in fascination out the window as the train moved through the city, changing to a set of tracks that would take the passengers to New Hyrule's capital. As they left the city and entered the countryside, the train picked up speed until the landscape flashed by in a blur of green and blue.

To his surprise, a woman in a rail uniform reminiscent of a stereotypical Hylian maid opened the sliding cabin door. Motioning to the trolling in front of her, she asked, "Coffee or tea for you, sir?"

Vaati furrowed his eyebrows; he had never heard of coffee before. "Yes, I'll have coffee, please."

"Sugar or cream?"

"Both would be nice."

The woman carefully mixed him a mug of the steaming liquid and set it gently on the table. "Remember, dear, there's a diner car farther down the train if you want to have a meal."

Vaati inclined his head and thanked her as she closed the door and continued up the car. The black liquid on his table smelled delicious, enticing him toward it. A tentative sip later, and he decided that it was the best drink of all time. Holding the mug close to his face, he went back to staring out the window. _Why doesn't Hyrule have any of this? _he wondered.

Deciding it would be best to prepare for the journey, Vaati pulled out the maps of New Hyrule and the Thoridian Empire. Papuchia Village was located on the central west coast of New Hyrule. His ultimate destination was the northeast corner of the country where the Thoridian Empire began. To get there, he would travel to New Hyrule Castle, then to Wellspring City, Anouki City, and north until he reached the small outlying villages. To his utter disgust, he would have to hike a few miles into the Thoridian Empire so as to not trigger any magical traps that might have been placed by the Goddesses. Once he did enter, he would locate a railway and follow it northeast until he reached Torthid City, the capital of the Thoridian Empire.

Before any of that, though, Vaati wanted to reach the capital of New Hyrule and recuperate for a few days. There, he would learn what he could from the library and the locals, catch up on his rest, and stock up for the journey through the hostile northern nation.

Out of coffee and deciding that his plan was foolproof, Vaati returned the maps to his pouch and left for the diner car. As he had expected, the diner consisted of a series of tables lined up on either side of the carriage. At the far end, a fancy wooden door led to what Vaati assumed was the kitchen. Various parties sat at the tables, eating and talking with each other.

A waiter led Vaati to an empty table and offered him a menu. "Take a moment to decide what you would like, sir," said the waiter. Vaati flipped through the menu, eventually deciding on a fish fillet seasoned with lime, salt, and butter. The waiter returned with the food shortly thereafter.

Midway through his meal, a man across the isle turned and addressed Vaati. "Have you heard about the new decree from the Lokomo?"

Curious, Vaati accepted the conversational bait. "Why, no, I did not. What is it?"

"The Lokomo, supposedly under orders from the Golden Goddesses themselves, have authorized government sponsored magicians to be stationed throughout the country to search for strong magical presences."

"What on earth for?"

The man laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. You know why. Vaati escaped from Link several weeks ago and they still haven't found him. King Daltof was desperate, so he appealed to the Goddesses for help."

Vaati stopped chewing and froze at the mention of his name, but refrained from having a violent outburst. Calming himself as quickly as he could, he swallowed. "Ah yes, of course. I never was very good at relating events. Just out of curiosity, do you know where these magicians would be placed and what they would be looking for?"

The man shrugged. "If I were to guess, I'd say it would be in largely populated areas like cities and towns. As for what they would look for, I don't know. Though I know about magic at its most basic form, I'm no professional. Perhaps powerful or large magical traces?"

Vaati refrained from cursing. His disguise, so long as it was implemented, was detectable by magicians who knew what to look for. Going off a wild guess that he hoped was untrue, Vaati asked, "I'm assuming that powerful magic forms are temporarily banned, then?"

The man shook his head, chuckling again. "No, of course not. Many people here make their living through magic. However, using it is discouraged in public. The guards have offered an extremely high reward to anyone who can find Vaati, though." The man scoffed. "A suicide mission that would be. Only deities and gods need not fear him."

Vaati allowed himself a tiny grin from the statement. "True enough," he agreed.

A waiter interrupted, motioning to Vaati's clean plate. "May I take this, sir?"

"Absolutely. Give your compliments to the chef, if you please. The meal was superb."

"I will," said the waiter, taking Vaati's dishes.

"Where do I pay?"

"The meal is included in the ticket price."

"Ah. Well, thank you," said Vaati. The waiter bowed and left. Vaati stood, wiping his hands. Addressing the man across the isle, he said, "Thank you for the information."

"Any time. Farewell."

Vaati returned to his cabin and shut the blinds to the isle before allowing the stress to get to him. Pounding his fist on the table, he cursed his bad luck. Why now, when he was so close to reaching his goal, did disaster have to strike?

Pulling out the map of New Hyrule and wrenching it open, he prepared a different route to the Thoridian Empire. Going to Hyrule Castle was now unavoidable, but transferring to minor stations after that was not. Unfortunately, he would be unable to sleep and prepare at the capital, a fact that he resented.

Analyzing and reanalyzing the map, Vaati decided to travel to a small mountain village, then transfer and make a few more stops on the way to the small town of Snowdrift in the north. It would bring him away from major cities, but at the price of being slow and going far out of his way. Until he got the the station, though, nothing could be done about his situation.

With nothing left to do but wait, Vaati climbed into the sleeper and closed his eyes, hoping that the rest he got would be enough to last him until he entered the Thoridian Empire.


	7. Unintentional Improvisation

**Disclaimer: **Any and all publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are properties of their respective owners. I own everything associated with the Thoridian Empire.

**Author's Notes: **This really should have been finished a month ago, but I ended up writing Time instead. Yeah.

*Shot*

* * *

><p><strong>Unintentional Improvisation<strong>

The pole-mounted clock read 8:05. Tension. Vaati tapped his trunk with his thin fingers, waiting for his train to arrive. The air felt thick and constricting. People seemed to clump together in dangerous groups, all of them plotting Vaati's demise, all of them blocking his escape. To think that he, the greatest sorcerer in the world, could be forced to not use magic for fear of death insulted his pride.

He was trapped. Forced to maintain a disguise that advertised his presence, unable to warp anywhere without notifying all of New Hyrule, and encircled by the very public he hoped to hide in, his options seemed bleak. As much as he hated to admit it, even he could not defeat the combined power of the Lokomo and an army of magicians should they discover him.

What was he going to do? He could not warp into the Thoridian Empire; there were undoubtedly dozens of magical traps placed by the Goddesses themselves that he would have to fight through. He could not warp to the border; the Lokomo and then the Goddesses would be alerted of his intentions, and his mission would fail. He could not fight his way through New Hyrule; though he had conquered Hyrule within a few weeks, he had never been forced to contend with an organized and prepared enemy. He would be discovered if he left, he would be discovered if he stayed.

Vaati took a deep breath, trying to relieve some of the tension and calm his violent urges. Reacting violently to the pressure was the worst thing he could do. He had a plan; during the final half hour of the train ride, Vaati had imbued his trunk with energy and enchanted it to explode at his command. Should a confrontation occur, the bomb would kill or, at the very least, stall anyone attacking him, as well as concentrate his magical trail on the site of the explosion, essentially allowing him to disappear from enemy detection for a short period. From there, he could slip away and try to escape.

Vaati lowered his head and reviewed his route. From Castle Town in the center of New Hyrule, he would travel northeast to Ends of the Earth Station, a coal town at the easternmost end of the Pironees mountain range. From there, he would travel northwest over the mountains to Snowdrift, a trapping community on the far side of the mountain range. After that, he would take a line straight north to the farming town of Wellspring and cross the border on foot. The route was long and roundabout, but he would be able to avoid major cities.

Assuming he could leave Castle Town undetected, that was. Vaati grimaced. The clock ticked to 8:06.

A shadow passed over the skylight, dampening the final red rays of the setting sun. Vaati looked up to see heavy black clouds slightly tinted with red building up. He sensed slight electrical charge in the air. A storm was coming, and Vaati could do nothing to control it.

Vaati stiffened suddenly. He sensed magic. Remaining calm, he casually looked around the building, searching for the source. More traces of magic appeared in the crowd around him. To an inexperienced magician, they would have appeared faint, barely detectable, but to him, the world's greatest sorcerer, they were blindingly obvious.

A flash of silver caught his eye. Two soldiers, their sword hilts glinting despite the lack of light, stood talking to what appeared to be a random passerby. A third man was with them; he had a slight beard, wore a black suit, and carried nothing but an ornate cane. Vaati immediately found the source of the magic, recognizing him as a magician.

Knowing what to look for, he did another sweep of the building. Three more groups of three, each made up of two soldiers and a magician, materialized around the building. Vaati lowered his head, panicking.

A million thoughts ran through his mind at once. Were they looking for him? Undoubtedly. Why hadn't they found him yet? He hadn't moved in over an hour; his magical trail was difficult to pinpoint. Were there more of them waiting in reserve? Probably. Most importantly, how was he going to escape?

…

Vaati steadied his breathing and reviewed his options. Only three came to mind, and none of them were good.

He could stay where he was and wait for his train to arrive, hoping he remained undetected. He immediately discarded this option; assuming it was on time, his train wouldn't arrive at the station for another twenty-four minutes, and it wouldn't leave the station for Ends of the Earth for another fifteen minutes after that.

He could preemptively strike at his pursuers before he was detected and reinforcements arrived, but again, the choice seemed unreasonable. Although he was granted with godlike powers and could easily defeat four magicians and a group of soldiers, the Lokomo and the Goddesses would inevitably find out and stop him before he got anywhere close to the Thoridian Empire.

His third and last option, attempting to escape the station and divert his pursuers outside, seemed to be the only viable solution. Abruptly grabbing his trunk and standing, he quickly made his way to the front doors. He regretted this moments later.

"STOP!" shouted one of the magicians. Immediately, all four groups closed in on him from every direction. His only route of escape now was out into the city. Without missing a beat, Vaati created and threw an energy sphere over his shoulder, striking the offending magician in the chest and killing him instantly. Vaati ran.

Shouts and screams erupted throughout the building. An energy sphere, reminiscent of his own, reached Vaati. The explosion was stopped by his shields and did not faze him. The attacking magician was smart enough to put up shields of his own, but they quickly fell under a withering attack by Vaati. The magician died less than a second later, disintegrating under a powerful laser.

Through the ensuing chaos, Vaati heard one of the soldiers shout for reinforcements. "Send word for the Lokomo! We've found him!"

Ignoring the cry for help, Vaati threw his whole weight at the door, intending to throw it open and escape onto the main boulevard. To his surprise, it didn't budge, rendered motionless by a spell cast by the remaining two magicians. The hairs on the back of his neck tingled as he prepared to blast his way through the wall. _Too late, _he thought.

"HYAAAA!" shouted a soldier. His sword whistled through the air, Vaati having barely dodged it after sensing an enchantment designed to penetrate magical shields. His comrade followed through with a swipe of his own, only to be stopped as Vaati threw his trunk between them. Retaliating, Vaati materialized two spears of air and stabbed both through the chest.

_BANG!_

Vaati froze. A small lead ball remained suspended directly in front of his face before falling to the floor. A soldier stood opposite him, pointing at him with one hand a strange weapon he had never seen before. It appeared to be a thin metal tube connected by a wood body with a small lever at the bottom and a hammer-like mechanism at the top. Puffy white smoke billowed from the tube and hammer.

Refocusing after his lapse in concentration, Vaati killed the man with a blast of magic and charged up a powerful energy sphere. Completely indifferent as to whether or not he hit innocent people, he threw the sphere at the magicians and remaining soldiers. The blast killed or injured all of them, as well as several others unlucky enough to be in range.

With more and more magicians warping into the building and soldiers, all armed with longer versions of the strange weapon, beginning to encircle it, Vaati made his escape. Blasting through the wall, he dashed down the shallow steps and off to his left, avoiding a small group of soldiers forming a line to his right.

His senses, heightened as they were through both magical means and adrenaline, caught a brief glimpse of New Hyrule Castle at the far end of the boulevard. Gold and white towers flew gold and white banners in front of a gold and white sky. The red clouds approached from behind him.

A high-pitched crack of thunder reverberated through the air. Vaati stumbled and nearly fell, feeling a sudden and dramatic decrease in energy. He risked a look behind him and found the source. The line of soldiers, enshrouded in white smoke, were all pointing the strange weapons at him. Lead balls lay scattered along the ground between him and the line.

Vaati was shocked. Never before had mere soldiers had the power to attack him so strongly and in such few numbers. Even the soldiers of Hyrule, esteemed for being the best in the world, proved to be ants before a god to him. Now, though, armed with such powerful weapons, Vaati could be killed by a simple move of a finger. One more volley, and his defenses would surely fail him.

The soldiers were almost reloaded by the time he came back into focus. Vaati threw another energy sphere to disrupt their line and fled. The streets, crowded moments earlier, now seemed clearer as people ran from both him and the pursuing soldiers. Another line materialized in front of him, blocking a second route of escape. Thinking quickly, he dodged down a dark side-alley, hoping to circle around to the main boulevard and back to the station.

_C-C-C-C-C-C-C-CRACK!_

Another white puff of smoke appeared amid the newly formed line. The volley missed when he sought cover in the alley, sending the balls into the building behind him. Brick and mortar pieces flew through the air around him. Shouts erupted from the line, the commanders ordering to give pursuit while magicians tracked his position.

A third line filed into the alley from the other end, taking aim at him from afar. Before they could fire, Vaati ducked off to his right into a connecting alleyway, one that led back to the main boulevard. Civilians blocked the exit, seeming not to notice the commotion going on behind them. As he reached the end, he saw why.

A huge column of soldiers, at least a hundred men strong, marched down the boulevard toward the station. Leading them was a man he instantly recognized as Byrne.

Time slowed down. Byrne slowly looked to his right, and the two made eye contact. Byrne's eyes blazed with cold determination when he saw Vaati approaching. Before anyone could react, Vaati dove into a doorsill and let his trunk fly.

A flash of light. The sensation of both earth and air shaking. A deafening roar. A blast of heat.

Vaati was thrown out of the doorsill and onto his back. A huge cloud of smoke billowed from a fiery inferno in the road, sending those who weren't killed screaming and running. Vaati jumped to his feet and dashed into the mob, using the confusion to his advantage. Byrne lay slumped against a building, unconscious and badly burned.

Vaati slipped away just as the remains of the company, pursuing soldiers, and magicians closed in around the site of the explosion. For the next few minutes, it would be near impossible to detect him. It was his only opportunity of losing his pursuers.

Slipping through the disorganized mob of people, he regained a cool composure and quickly climbed the steps to the station. Nonchalantly ducking through the hole in the wall he had created earlier, he passed through the commotion of confused people and stepped onto the platforms.

A whistle blew three platforms down. Vaati rushed over the bridge connecting the platforms and toward the source of the whistle, the only train that appeared ready for departure. As he approached, a burly looking soldier stopped the conductor from boarding the locomotive. An extremely short exchange followed, and the conductor stuck his head into the cabin to say something Vaati could not hear.

Vaati strode up to the conductor with a cool and confident stride, hoping to avoid notice from the soldier. The two passed each other without incident. The conductor, seeing Vaati coming, began to explain.

"I apol-"

"We are leaving now," said Vaati, cutting off the conductor. The conductor looked surprised and slightly offended.

"I'm sorry sir, but we just can't do that. The army froze all departures. Something about them supposedly having found Vaati."

"They did find him. That's why we're leaving," Vaati climbed into the locomotive's cabin.

"Hey, you can't-"

Vaati whirled around, abandoning his disguise. The two engineers in the cabin cried out in alarm. "Listen to me carefully, you tiny-brained buffoons. I am a God! I will do whatever I please. You will follow my instructions, and in return, you won't have to go home to your family as a box of ashes. This train will leave the station within the next two minutes or I will see to it each and every one of you dies."

Vaati saw the conductor hesitate for a moment. Suddenly, before the sorcerer had time to react, the conductor brought his whistle to his lips and blew one loud, shrieking note. Vaati cursed loudly and blasted him with a laser, disintegrating him. Shouts of alarm erupted from the soldiers on the platforms.

"GET US OUT OF HERE! **NOW!**" roared Vaati at the engineers. The two men immediately complied, shoveling coal into the firebox at a furious rate and closing the exhaust valves in an attempt to quickly build up boiler pressure. A loud metallic clang sounded beside Vaati when he stuck his head back out of the door. White-hot sparks flew at his face, stopping short only a hand's length away. The soldiers had begun to open fire.

Vaati haphazardly threw an energy sphere at the offending soldier, narrowly missing and striking the passenger car of an adjacent train. He caught movement from the corner of his eye. Streaming through the doors to the platforms were dozens of soldiers and magicians.

Panic welled up inside Vaati. They should not have found him that quickly. Desperate, he concentrated all of his energy into a powerful laser that exploded against the open doors. The stone cracked with a great retort, crumbling onto the stairs, but to no avail. The magicians and soldiers continued to enter through remaining gaps. Now, low on energy and pinned on a train, Vaati had no escape.

Relief flooded through him as the locomotive jolted suddenly. Chuffing emanated from the pistons and the smoke stack, spewing steam and smoke into the air. His pursuers doubled their pace. Vaati ducked back into the cabin as lead balls sprayed the metal. The train slowly picked up speed.

Then, with a victorious whistle, the locomotive escaped into the open.


	8. Feint

**Disclaimer: **Any and all publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are properties of their respective owners. I own everything associated with the Thoridian Empire.

**Author's Notes: **:o Look an update! Sorry this took so long. I kept getting confused on my locations, so I had to make a really detailed map of everywhere and do a bunch of development on characters and plot. Also long chapter is long.

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><p><strong>Feint<strong>

Vaati slumped against the cabin wall, exhausted. That had been far too close for comfort. Bitter anger welled up inside him. How had his glorious winning streak ended so suddenly? All his recent endeavors had so far been a series of defeats that overshadowed his victories. He had taken over Hyrule, only to be defeated by Link for the third time. He had escaped and hid, but quickly been found, his pursuers closing door after door on him. He discovered the Thoridian Empire, but had just lost the only means of getting there undetected. And now, just seconds ago, his godlike powers seemed to have deserted him in the face of soldiers common to the world armed with weapons common to New Hyrule.

No doubt his narrow escape from the capital would be ruined. Vaati scoffed to himself. The only reason he had escaped was because of two lowly engineers. If they hadn't been so willing to comply with his demands, he would be dead. Weakened as he was, the great Sorcerer or Winds would have fallen to nothing more than a tiny metal ball.

Above him, the engineers continued to shovel coal at a furious rate, sending the locomotive rocketing toward…

Vaati abruptly stood, fearing the worst. "You!" he demanded to one of the engineers. "What is this train's destination?"

The engineer flinched at his sudden outburst, then pointed with a shaking hand to a large map pinned to the back wall. "Le-Le-Lemetz, sir," he stuttered. Vaati rushed over to the map, studying it intently. Lemetz was indicated with a large dot northeast of the capital. It was situated on the western end of the Pironees mountains, almost on the same latitude as Ends of the Earth station.

Despite the fact that he was going in the right direction, his sense of dread did not wear off. Vaati remained silent for a moment before asking, "What is Lemetz?"

The engineer looked confused. "A city, s-"

"That's not what I mean!" snapped Vaati. "What is its purpose? How does it serve New Hyrule? It doesn't border water, so it's not a port. Is it a commerce center? Is it a production city? What is it?" The engineer remained silent, a newfound look of fear entering his eyes. "Answer me!" shouted Vaati, causing the man to cringe.

"It's a mi-mi-military garrison, my lord." The engineer shrank away upon giving the answer.

Vaati's expression became one of pure horror. He was headed straight for an army. His weak, short-lived feeling of triumph completely vanished at the thought. New Hyrule's Continental Army knew exactly where he was, where he was going, and how he was getting there. All they needed to do was go to the train station and wait for him to arrive, and the infamous Sorcerer of Winds would be killed at long last.

Thinking fast, Vaati tried to come up with a plan. The map had shown no stops directly between the two cities, and he wouldn't dare abandon his transportation for the countryside, army or no army. Transferring before Lemetz was out of the question. He couldn't redirect the train in a different direction without risking a collision; the trains operated on a set schedule that could not be changed on such short notice. Warping away did not even need to be considered.

His only option, then, was to disguise himself and abandon all magical connections. He would have to take someone else's clothes, perhaps from a passenger's luggage; his own attire of flashy purple robes would make him stand out like a beacon in the dark. His shields would have to be down completely, his sensory enhancements removed, and his magical accessories left behind, lest he be picked up by enemy magicians and shot down by soldiers.

One or more Lokomo would be present for certain as well. Vaati quickly reviewed what he knew of the spirits from his studies in Hyrule. All seven served the Goddesses in policing the land of New Hyrule and, Vaati suspected, stopped people from crossing into the Thoridian Empire. All were exceptionally powerful in magic, though no individual Lokomo met his own abilities. Of the seven, only Byrne moved by walking, the others using wheeled machines in place of their legs. Byrne had already been severely injured in Vaati's escape from the capital, leaving six Lokomo remaining to assist the army.

He would be defenseless, and if caught, humiliated and killed. As much as he hated it, he had no choice; his hand had been forced. Reaching his conclusion, he began barking orders to the engineers. "Listen to me, and listen to me well, for if you fail then this will be the last journey you ever make. You will slow this train down as much as you can allow. I don't want to see Lemetz on the horizon until the very last moment possible. Do not think for a moment to stop for any reason at all. If there are blocks in the rails, blast through them. If there are soldiers on the tracks, run them over. I don't wa-"

Vaati was cut short by a loud crash to his left. The door of the cabin burst inward, revealing a muscular soldier barely standing on the ledge beneath the sill, holding the small version of the mysterious weapon. Vaati cursed loudly and blasted him, sending him onto the rails below.

Shouted orders barely reached his ears over the whistling of wind. Vaati rushed to the door and stuck his head out, looking behind the locomotive. Three soldiers crouched on the coal tender, weapons drawn and clambering toward the cabin. Loud cracks sounded when they caught sight of him, the weapons giving off their signature puff of smoke. Vaati barely managed to pull himself back into the cabin before the projectiles flew past the open door.

Vaati uttered a long string of oaths. This was neither the time nor the place to be battling soldiers. The train began to slow as he prepared himself for the fight. He was weak and could not afford to battle them in the open. Instead, he would force them to climb up the locomotive to the cabin door, which would serve as a bottleneck where he could pick them off one at a time.

A deafening blast interrupted his train of thought. Vaati was thrown off his feet and against the boiler. Pain shot through his side when his body slammed up against the uneven gauges. Smoke filled his eyes and nose. Dazed, he tried to search for the attacker through his blurry vision. New light dazzled him from the back of the cabin. When his vision came back into focus, he saw why.

A hole, just large enough for a person to slip through, opened a pass between the cabin and the coal tender. Vaati pushed himself to his feet and dove against the back wall while the remaining smoke cleared away. Both engineers dizzily propped themselves up behind him.

More cracks sounded from beyond the wall, followed by metallic clanks against the boiler. A stray ball hit a pipe connected to the pressure gauge, causing hot, hissing steam to billow from the crack. Tensing, Vaati threw himself across the hole, firing an energy sphere at the tender. He smiled in cold satisfaction at the sound of three screams of alarm and pain.

Daring a glimpse out the newly formed window, he assessed the damage. One of the soldiers lay collapsed on the coal, blood seeping through various cuts from the black shrapnel. The other two were nowhere to be seen, having been thrown off the train and onto the tracks.

The engineers began to reorient themselves, slowly beginning to tend to the boiler again. One of them looked at the dead pressure gauge, his expression becoming one of worry. He quickly opened a valve near the ceiling. A loud hissing emanated from outside followed by a trail of white steam to join the smoke. The train slowed even further.

"If you value your lives, stick to my orders," hissed Vaati. Clambering through the hole, he jumped onto the coal tender, tearing his cape on the jagged metal. His hat, the most iconic part of his outfit, immediately blew off and fluttered over the edge of the train. Black soot covered his pants and tunic, and bits of the rock stabbed at his feet when they found their way into his sandals.

Doing his best to ignore the humiliation being put upon him, he jumped off of the tender, barely making it into the open doorway of the first passenger car. He felt a spike of pain as a particularly jagged piece of coal drove into his foot. Vaati allowed the wound to bleed, ignoring the pain and making his way down the train. The individual cabins of the first class car remained firmly locked, the occupants having learned about their unexpected passenger.

Three cars down, the claustrophobic hallway of the first class carriages gave way to open isles lined with tables and chairs. A lone soldier stood at the far end of the car, trying to keep the civilians from panicking. Before anyone had time to react, Vaati fired an unnecessarily powerful laser at the man, killing him and blowing a hole in the wall beyond.

In a sudden clamor of motion and sound, people dove under tables, shrank up against the walls, and darted for the far door in an attempt to escape a similar fate. Terrified screams from women accompanied panicked yells from men as everyone fought for a way out of the car.

"Silence!" Vaati barked. All movement suddenly came to an abrupt halt except the world that flashed by beyond the windows. Vaati noticed the clouds had followed him; dark grey and red thunderheads hovered above the train, already beginning to spill thick red drops onto the land below. He couldn't afford to waste any more time. "Everyone out. Now!" he shouted.

The stone still people hurriedly complied, hastily and quietly filing through the back door. Once the car was empty, Vaati whirled around and rushed back up the first class carriages. He had to act fast, lest he be discovered if any remaining soldiers went looking for him. Vaati tested each door until he found a cabin that was unlocked. Yanking it open, he threw himself inside and slammed the door closed, locking it behind him.

He immediately found what he was looking for; a large trunk hung on the shelf above the sleeper. With a violent tug, the trunk crashed onto the floor, bursting open from the impact. Vaati rummaged through the clothes until he found a suit that looked like it would fit him.

As fast as the small space and poor balance in the slowly rocking carriage would allow him, Vaati stripped down and changed into the suit, intentionally ruffling the clothes as he put them on. He hated to leave his voluminous robes behind; his attire had remained nearly consistent since he became the feared and renowned Sorcerer of Winds. Even his disguises didn't require him to abandon his usual clothing, since he could simply change his appearance with the snap of his fingers. The problem could not be helped, not now.

Healing his foot, Vaati threw on an extra pair of black shoes he found in the trunk before stopping with a sudden realization. Even if he were to disguise himself completely without magic, his hair would be a dead giveaway. Vaati always prided himself in its style and silky smoothness. Now, though, unable to disguise himself with magic, he had no choice but to cut it off.

His bitter reluctance to get rid of it was immediately cut off by the rational part of his brain. If it stayed, it would only lead him to be caught and killed, which was far more humiliating and permanent than losing a bit of hair. With a quick spell, it fell away, leaving just enough to hide beneath a bowler he snatched from the bed.

The only part of his disguise he couldn't change was his eye color. Even if he had the most ingenious disguise in the world, his ruby red eyes would still give him away if anyone noticed. The only thing he could do about it was to tip the bowler forward and avoid eye contact with everyone.

Making sure all his magical possessions were left behind, Vaati began the long process of removing the enchantments set upon his person. Mental blocks were destroyed, physical shields taken down, and sensory enhancements removed. Vaati loathed to leave himself so exposed; if a fight were to occur, he would be open and vulnerable to attack from every type and every angle. His only hope was that his disguise would not fail him.

Ready to leave, Vaati made for the door, only to stop as an idea struck him. Even if he could hide himself from civilians, the army would undoubtedly search every passenger on the train if he wasn't made obvious. All they had to do was look into his eyes and he would be revealed. For the sorcerer to mysteriously disappear after being so weakened seemed beyond suspicious. He needed assurance that they wouldn't search him; he needed a decoy.

Throwing a glance over his shoulder at his old outfit, he gave a sly grin. Nobody would suspect the passengers if the sorcerer were to make a mess at the station. Vaati began casting a long, complicated enchantment on his old clothes, working his way through the chants as quickly as he could muster. If he could use his clothes as a skeleton, he could create an illusion of himself wearing them and distract the soldiers from his presence.

The enchantment he put on the robes was difficult. He had to make it act realistically enough to pass as him, but simple enough that it didn't require massive amounts of energy. A simple algorithm of attack and defense patterns had to be set up; since he couldn't influence it once he reached the station, he had to make sure it would behave aggressively enough to cause mayhem, carry on long enough to cause a significant fight, and then warp to a new location once it was almost out of energy to draw his pursuers away from him.

When he finished the enchantment several minutes later, he set about repairing his outfit to make his decoy look respectable. The better the decoy looked, the more intimidating and realistic it would seem. Vaati summoned a new hat, repaired the large gash in his cape, and removed the coal dust from his tunic, pants, and sandals. Satisfied with its appearance and done with the enchantment, Vaati made sure his own appearance was sufficiently disheveled before leaving the cabin.

Taking on the name Arthur to complete his disguise, as well as the story that Vaati had forced him out of his first-class cabin, the costumed mage made his way down to the middle of the train. He walked quickly, eyes focused downward, trying to emulate a feeling of fear in his overall stance. He passed several crowded cars, the people in them all silent and afraid. Finally finding an open seat, he sat down along the isle and waited to arrive.

While he sat, Vaati began filling his decoy with energy from several cars away, connecting himself to the jewel in his belt that already stored energy for various costly enchantments. Since he wasn't actually casting any spells, his activities would go unnoticed by any magicians, who would instead be drawn to the decoy itself.

Fortunately, nobody asked Vaati where he came from or who he was, instead preferring to contemplate his presence on the train privately. Still, Vaati remained tense and, as the train ride went on, progressively weaker still as he poured what energy he had left into his decoy.

Time seemed to slow its inexorable advance. The train's motion never ceased, but to Vaati, it was as if it wasn't moving at all. Every moment was filled with the fear of the passengers around him, all of whom still thought Vaati was up near the front of the train. Vaati's own fears of being discovered weighed him down, filling each passing moment with constant, unwavering dread.

Time ticked on. Thunder rumbled outside, the dark night being broken by incoherent flashes of light. Heavy rain pounded on the carriage over the occasional clacking noise of the rail breaks. The journey carried him closer and closer to the waiting army, Vaati growing ever more tired. His vision grew hazy and blurred, filling with unfocused illusions.

The train moved along through the night, drawing ever nearer to the heart of the storm.

XXXXXXXX

A sudden jolt shook the train, and Vaati jumped to alertness. His muscles all tensed at once as the train began to lose speed. Beyond the window, Vaati could barely make out the lights of a city through the storm. They had arrived in Lemetz.

The train slowed more and more until coming to a complete stop. No whistle was sounded, no announcements given. Silence permeated through the thick, suffocating air. A sudden crash echoed through his cabin as a soldier, followed by a second on the other side, kicked in the door. A group of four soldiers filed in from either side, each carrying the elongated weapon from before. Vaati only had to wait until the soldiers found his decoy…

A powerful explosion shook the entire train. Vaati heard commanders shout orders from outside, followed by the high-pitched thunder of the weapons. "Get down!" barked one of the soldiers in Vaati's cabin. The entire population of the carriage collectively ducked into their seats, the car rocking back and forth on its trucks.

"Isolate him!" shouted an officer outside. "Push him to the edge of the platform!" Three quick blasts from the decoy followed, quickly countered by a volley from the soldiers. Smoke and the smell of sulfur drifted in through the open doors.

A lieutenant stationed outside their car began issuing orders to his platoon while the soldiers farther up the platform battled with Vaati's decoy. "Get the civilians off the train! Captain Spurlock, see to it A Company directs people outside! B and C Companies cover for them! Focus your fir-"

"Everyone out!" interrupted a soldier inside the car. "Stay off platform six!" In a flurry of movement, everyone on the train stood and dashed for the exits, following the guidance of the soldiers. The wave of people behind him pushed and jostled in a vain attempt to escape first, nearly causing Vaati to lose his bowler.

More soldiers waited on the platform. "The fourth and fifth battalions are receiving citizens in the plaza! Use the central transfer bridges and head for the depot! The fourth and fifth…"

The soldier's voice became impossible to hear over the throng of fleeing people. Sounds from the battle raged on behind him, his decoy's attacks becoming less and less frequent as the army gained ground. He was running out of time. Vaati caught a fleeting glimpse of the rail schedule mounted on the clock pole. Hope filled him as he caught one of the readings.

_Wellspring Station - Platform 3 - 2:45_

Vaati threw a glance to his right. A train sat waiting at platform three, the locomotive's exhaust valves all closed. The engineers apparently decided that leaving with the train was safer than leaving without. Vaati doubled his pace, dashing up the stairs as fast as the crowd would allow him.

Barely audible chuffing issued from the pistons, the coupling rods just beginning their rotations. Violently shoving people out of his way, Vaati dashed down the stairs to the platform, jumping three steps at a time. The train began to gather speed, pulling away faster than he could run.

"Grab my hand!" came a shout from his left. Vaati looked just in time for a conductor standing on the platform between the cars, arm outstretched, to pass by. Vaati grabbed the man's forearm, jumping onto the platform's stairs and aboard the carriage. Collapsing against the rails, he threw a final glance at the station, seeing his decoy make one final assault before warping away.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>HAAAAA, train of thought… *Shot*


	9. Lethargy

**Disclaimer: **Any and all publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are properties of their respective owners. I own everything associated with the Thoridian Empire.

**Author's Notes: **This chapter was a really, really bad case of, "I'll get around to it." I PROMISE I'll be faster in the future. I feel really bad about being so slow, and I finally told myself a few days ago that I need to get over my trepidation and just go for it. I'm not very well going to get any better at writing by not writing, am I?

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><p><strong>Lethargy<strong>

The storm continued to worsen. Loud, booming thunder that reverberated far longer than it should became a regular occurrence. The thick and heavy rain muted normally blinding flashes of lightning. All the while, the red clouds hung over him like a sinister blanket, muffling any light that attempted to break through.

Vaati sat slumped in his seat, desperately trying to keep himself awake. Any semblance of energy he had earlier was thoroughly drained, but the fear of waking up in the Four Sword prevented him from sleep and kept him in a surreal state of drowsy alertness.

Paranoia had rooted itself deep in his mind. The rain didn't help; the normally soothing sound of rainfall had become the clamors of heavy weapons that pounded on the carriage from all sides. Clattering swords, beating axes, and the constant sound of hundreds of thousands of metallic shots fought bitterly to gain entrance.

Unfocused murmurs filled the inside of the cabin. Vaati only caught broken fragments of conversations through the haze.

"Why did he come here? We can defeat him even without a hero…"

"...Can't outrun the army forever…"

"…Powerful enough to bring Hyrule to its knees…"

"…Destroy himself with his confidence…"

"…Crush us with nothing more than a finger movement…"

"…Cruelty foreign to Hyrule…"

Vague anger formed in Vaati's mind. Even in the face of all his power, his fury, Hyrule's spirit was unbreakable. Their faith in their chosen hero was unwavering, not even faltering after bloody massacres and total conquest. The only reason he never won was because Link's unnatural strength and fortitude only grew in the face of Vaati's wrath.

A wave of drowsiness washed over him, his anger retreating into the back of his mind. A small, cynical part of him that had long since resigned to defeat quietly took control. Dozens of Vaati's failures presented themselves in the sudden absence of his self-confidence. Every mistake he had made was identical, born of arrogance and denial of clear fact. Leaving the memories there for him to contemplate, the cynicism retreated as well, leaving him feeling hollow.

After a time, Vaati returned to himself, sighing heavily. His last encounter with New Hyrule's Continental Army had nearly resulted in his death; not even his inflated ego could deny that. He'd been lucky, he supposed, for having found an advantage to exploit. Given that he was locked in a struggle with the luckiest man in existence, though, it wasn't something he could count on again.

Vaati stared back out the window, watching the ground flash by. The torrential downpour made it impossible to see farther than the areas just beyond the tracks. When had everything become so complicated? He could still remember, even after centuries, his first acts as the Sorcerer of Winds. Everything had seemed so straightforward then: find the Light Force, conquer Hyrule, and rule as a God above every race in the land. Nobody would be able to deny his power; nobody would have the right to call him weak.

His nostalgic thoughts became a jumbled mess as sleep crept up on him. Perhaps he could rest, if only for a moment...

"_Vaati, champion of the competition, you may approach the blade!" declared the short and aging minister of Hyrule._

_Vaati stepped out from beneath the shade of the massive castle gate and made his way down the garden path. Flowers bloomed as colorful decorations among perfectly trimmed hedges and quaint trees. Two white pillars fountained__misty water into crystal clear pools. Guards lined the edges of the walkway, their bright silver armor shining in polished perfection. Soaring fanfares called out around him as he approached the central square, celebrating his victory._

_And what a glorious victory it was. _To think things would go this well!_ he mused to himself._

_Vaati stopped in front of the chest, noting the purity of the blade that bound it shut. A shimmering, almost holy light surrounded it, giving it an aura of power. Vaati smirked and straightened himself, knowing he appeared intimidating to the guards. His billowy purple robes and elegant cape made him look more regal than the king himself, who stood on the opposite side of the chest._

"_The Picori Blade and the Bound Chest spoken of in Hylian lore..." Vaati said quietly. His smirk never left his face as he made his declaration. "This chest must hold that which I seek! I will relieve you of its contents now." He raised his hand in preparation to cast a spell._

_The four guards around the chest immediately lowered their pikes in unison, forming a wall between him and the chest. A quick attack from the center two was knocked aside when Vaati let loose a blast of magic._

_Cold laughter escaped his lips. "Do not interfere with me," he said in mock righteousness. "As victor, I've earned the right to approach the Picori Blade. I've been waiting for this moment!"_

_Vaati charged up a large, ominous energy orb. It seemed to suck in the light around it, blue bolts crackling along its surface. Noticing their hesitation, he gave a sinister grin to the remaining two guards and released the orb._

_The shockwave knocked over the guards, passing through Vaati harmlessly. A large metallic clang echoed through the courtyard as the Picori Sword snapped clean in half, sending the hilt flying through the air. It clattered to the ground, coming to rest near the stairs to the keep._

_Sunlight seemed to vanish as the chest opened, temporarily rendering the courtyard completely black. Visibility quickly returned, revealing a plume of black smoke erupting from the inside of the chest. Demons and monsters of all shapes and sizes manifested themselves in the outside world before shooting skyward and dispersing._

_Vaati watched in glee as his hard work came to fruition. The guards, the minister, and even the king himself were all swept aside in the onslaught, but Vaati remained unharmed in the monsters' wake. His future minions were in no place to go against him._

_A female voice snapped him out of his single-minded trance. "Who are you?!" it demanded. "Why are you doing this?"_

_Mild surprise showed on Vaati's face before it returned to his previous smug expression. "Ah, the princess with the mystical aura..." Vaati trailed off to study her face. His expression turned to open shock at the sight. Her beauty was stunning. Zelda's golden hair cascaded down her back in waves; her face was perfectly smooth; even with her piercing blue eyes filled with anger, she held him captivated in her gaze. A powerful magical glow radiated from her slim figure, a phenomenon that he recognized instantly._

_Vaati shook himself out of his reprieve. "...The power that was gifted to the people of Hyrule still flows within the veins of the ladies of its royal family? Interesting..." He glanced her over once more before, with great struggle, he shut out his sudden feelings of lust. "It's such a pity to hurt a pretty creature like yourself, but if I leave you now, you'll only cause me trouble later. That will never do."_

_Flashing Zelda a wicked smile, he prepared his attack. A young man clad in green jumped between them, shielding the princess. "You won't touch her," the man said in an icy voice._

_Vaati's face darkened in irritated anger. "Of course I won't," he snapped, sending the man flying with a sharp gust of wind._

"_Link!" Zelda cried, half turning to rush to his aid before stopping. The man, apparently Link, hit the wall of the castle with a sickening crunch. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. Zelda whirled back around to face Vaati. "How _dare_ you come here and attack my friends and family?! How _dare_ you harm people sacred to me?! How _dare_ you destroy an object as legendary as the Picori Blade?!" Her posture bespoke nothing but icy fury._

_Vaati grinned, cutting her off before she could continue. "Hmph. Such strong sentiment coming from one so delicate, but no matter. To stone with you!" Zelda's expression turned to one of horror, her scream fading away with her color until she was nothing but a gray statue._

_Satisfied with his work, he turned to face what was left of the recovering guard. "All who stand in my way will share this fate!" he announced, chuckling. The soldiers stared at their princess in dismay, but remained where they were. They had already been defeated._

Now, to find the power that awaits me in this chest!_ Vaati thought in excited delight. His celebration was short lived when he saw the contents of the chest._

"_Empty?!" he shouted in incredulation. "There was nothing in here but a rabble of monsters? What is the meaning of this?!" Frustrated, he kicked the chest over and spun around._

_His anger slowly reverted back to his naturally smug demeanor when he saw the still hopeless looking guards. Many were bleeding from open gashes in their armor, while others tried to support themselves with their pikes. Several lay dead, scattered along the pathway and against the hedges, their blood pooling around them._

_Vaati's cool confidence returned. "Well, I know the force I'm after is somewhere out there. I'm in no hurry. I can take my time searching for it."_

How wrong he turned out to be. Images of his reign after that day battled for dominance in his head. Meeting his old master, taking control of the castle, his constant search for the Light Force, and his frequent meetings with the man he had attacked at the courtyard.

If he hadn't been such a nuisance, Vaati might have admired Link. The man faced his army with unyielding conviction, never once giving anyone the inkling that he would stop fighting. On several occasions, Vaati had set up traps specifically designed to kill Link, only to see him alive and well weeks later. The man was cautious, clever, and damn near invincible. The only time Vaati ever saw him lose his cool was when Vaati discovered Zelda held the Light Force.

It was really very silly in hindsight, and Vaati continued to kick himself over the mistake even after centuries had passed. To think that he had been searching for the Light Force for months, only to inadvertently discover from Link it was right under his nose the entire time, was honestly embarrassing. What an idiot he had been.

If Ezlo hadn't been cursed at that moment, he would have undoubtedly laughed.

_Vaati stood in front of Zelda, slowly draining the Light Force from her stone figure. He could hear the loud clattering of metal on the floor beneath him as Link fought off three of his best Darknuts. Vaati didn't expect them to win - Link had fought far worse things in his journey - but he needed the time to finish with Zelda._

_The chamber beneath him fell silent, and Vaati waited for the inevitable._

_Link threw open the doors to the balcony with a loud crash. He could barely stand, bloodied and weak as he was, but his resolve held him in place. Vaati turned to face him confidently._

_"Hmph. Just a few more moments, and the ceremony would have been complete," Vaati said. "You really are obsessed with stopping me, aren't you?"_  
><em> Link stiffened and gave Zelda a longing glance.<em>

_He smirked. "Ah, very well. I have not yet drained all of the Light Force out of Princess Zelda," he said with scorn, "but what I have should suffice. I shall be transformed! Unstoppable! And when I finish dealing with pesky worms who would trifle with me, I'll come back and drain your dear friend until she has no more life in her than cold, dead stone."_

Vaati ended up regretting those words more than anything. With Zelda's life in the balance, Link had fought harder than Vaati thought was physically possible. His memories of the duel were still vivid. No matter how violent Vaati was, or how much of an effort he made in dodging Link's sword, he could not gain the upper hand. He had nearly destroyed the entire castle with his godlike power, but Link refused to go down.

_Vaati's single eye widened in surprise as his own attack flew back at him. The magic barrage, strong enough to kill Link with a single hit, collided with the bat-like creatures that were protecting him. The shockwave from the explosion caught his wings and sent him crashing to the ground. Dazed, he looked up just in time to see the Picori Blade descend toward his eye. Sharp agony-_

Vaati jolted awake, breathing heavily. His panic slowly abated upon recognizing his surroundings. The train was stopped at a small station. Snow fell in place of rain, signalling that they were now in the mountains. It was still dark outside; the snowy ground had a slightly reddish tint.

The quietly drifting snowflakes started to lull Vaati back into his dreamy state. His mind started to wander to unfocused and vague topics that he couldn't quite understand. A far off, distant voice called out to him.

"...disaster at Lemetz, a new schedule has been announced... train will continue on route... arrive at Wellspring late afternoon..."

Vaati ignored it and went back to sleep.

_He settled into the plush cushions of his throne for the first time. He had succeeded; Hyrule was his. He could now rule the country however he pleased from his palace in the sky. Distractions would be nonexistent; he was the famed Sorcerer of Winds, and nobody could get to the Palace of Winds unless he allowed them._

_Hyrule wasn't enough, though. He was a god; he wouldn't settle for merely one country at his feet when he could have the whole world. Perhaps Labrynna would come next..._

_His face fell into a scowl when he heard rushing footsteps approach, accompanied by the distinct rattling of bones. _So much for no distractions, _he thought bitterly._

_A Stalfos ran into the the chamber and abruptly stopped to bow._

"_What is it?" Vaati snapped, not in the mood for nonsense. He was _never _in the mood for nonsense._

_Vaati always thought Stalfos were hard to understand, even with a Jabber Nut to help him. Their voices were always disembodied and somewhat mechanical, accompanied by the loud clattering of their jaws. Thus, Vaati at first didn't believe what he heard next._

"_My Lord, the Heroes have entered the palace."_

_Vaati paused for a long moment. "...What did you say?" he asked in a cold voice._

"_The Heroes of the Four Sword, My Lord. They-"_

_The Stalfos exploded, sending shattered fragments of bones in all directions. "You liar!" he screamed in rage._

The Stalfos had been right, of course. Vaati just refused to admit it.

Somehow, through some cruel stroke of the Goddesses, Hyrule had obtained the keys to his palace and used them to gain access. At the time of discovery, Vaati had been absolutely furious. He went on a terrible rampage through his own minions, cutting them down without discrimination.

Vaati still harbored bitter resentment of that day, not only directed toward Link. His own rash behavior had cost him some of his most powerful underlings, ones that could have whittled down the four Links' stamina to the point where they could be stopped. Instead, he had been defeated and imprisoned again.

Nothing, however, came close to comparing with his most humiliating defeat of all; his role as an unwitting pawn to Ganon.

_The bomb flew up his cyclone and exploded directly beneath him, knocking him out of the sky. He fell several hundred feet before colliding with the ground. Dull throbbing permeated his being._

_For a moment, Vaati considered quitting the fight. He already had a new plan to free an ancient power that could finally bring him to victory, and fighting now was pointlessly draining his power. The choice was a hollow one, though; if he quit now, Link would find him, and if he continued, he would be defeated._

_Desperation fueled his next move. Gathering as much strength as he could, Vaati sent an explosive shockwave of magic out from his body. The four Links dove behind a pillar at the last second, avoiding the attack._

_With that, Vaati fell to the ground in the center of the room, utterly defeated. He made no attempt to stop the Links as they dashed out of their cover to counterattack. What was he going to do? He couldn't fight, and he had nowhere to retreat. His only choice was to warp to somewhere nearby with what little energy he had left and hope that he wasn't discovered._

_What good was it, though? No matter how hard he drove his minions, or how clever he was with his traps, or how hard he fought, in the end, Link always won. It was infuriating. Maybe it would be better to just be reimprisoned..._

_The notion vanished behind sudden resolve when he saw the Four Sword descending upon him. No, he would escape, and this time, he would succeed._

_The last thing Vaati heard before warping away was a scream of rage._

Luckily, he managed to escape after all. He learned later that Ganon had been behind the whole plot, and when Vaati failed, had stepped in to finish off Link himself. Vaati supposed he should be grateful for the intervention, but he couldn't help but feel bitter about the entire experience.

He had been used. He who would be a god had been used by a giant warthog. The thought made his blood boil. He would have his revenge, though. He would free the Thoridian Empire and send Hyrule crashing down. He would make Link and Ganon both drown in their own blood. He would finally be able to call Zelda, the beautiful woman from all those years ago, his own. He would finally show the Goddesses the meaning of defeat.

He would finally make that bastard Ezlo proud.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>In hindsight, I should have started this story a little earlier in the timeline than I did, so that we could see Vaati interact with people, especially Link, more than he is now. It's hard to characterize him when he's hardly saying a word to anyone.


	10. In the Fields

**Disclaimer: **Any and all publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are properties of their respective owners. I own everything associated with the Thoridian Empire.

**Author's Notes: "**I PROMISE I'll be faster in the future." BLATANT LIES. School turned out to be a lot more challenging than I thought it was going to be (I don't like writing when my brain is fried), I had to take care of some college stuff and the SATs, calculus is the worst thing of all time ever, and we got a kitten that I've been spending all my time with. Also exposition is hard and boring and why can't I just skip all this nonsense.

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><p><strong>In the Fields<strong>

Violent sneezing shook Vaati from his heavy sleep. Air wheezed deep in his chest, causing a fit of loud coughing. Both his eyes and throat started to itch upon regaining consciousness. He blearily opened his eyes, only to snap them shut again when they smarted in contact with the air.

Fuzzy thoughts of complete confusion and extreme annoyance alternated dominance in his mind between coughs. He groaned when the fit finally subsided.

_What in Farore's name... _he thought hazily before spending the next several minutes blinking the itch from his eyes.

Dusty clusters of light shined down around him, falling from small gaps in the distant roof. A faint wind blew outside, accompanied by a faint but constant creaking and light taps of wood on wood. The air was so heavy with particles that he found it difficult to breath properly. When his blurry vision finally cleared enough for him to make out his surroundings, he saw why.

Vaati's blood immediately boiled. He sat collapsed in a forlorn stack of hay under the shelter of a decrepit old barn. One of the doors hung loosely from its hinges, gently swinging against the other. Dried paint flaked off the walls, piling into neat rows on the floor. The ceiling sagged heavily with various holes that led to open sky. The musty smell of rotting wood permeated the thick air.

Quickly extracting himself from the pile, he sharply brushed the remaining strands off with more force than necessary. He spent a few moments vainly trying to fix his ruined clothes before giving up, muttering a string of curses. Yanking the bowler down on his head, he stormed to the front of the building and threw the doors open.

His violent exit caused a stray cat to scamper off into the overgrown fields. Other barns and farmhouses were scattered around the landscape, many of their fields in much better condition than the one he was on. A razor thin silver line stretched across the gently rolling plains, leading to a small town a ways in the distance. Cobble roads lined with low hedges criss-crossed the fields, made useful by dozens of horse-drawn carts that traveled over them.

Setting off on one of the roads to Wellspring, Vaati tried to recall what occurred the previous night. Only vague memories of getting off the train and stumbling half asleep through the fields came to mind. How and when he wound up in a barn was beyond him. He supposed he could be grateful that his clothes weren't soaked through.

The clouds seemed to have passed, the thunderheads advancing west. For the first time since leaving Holodrum's inconsistent seasonal changes, Vaati took note of the weather. Judging by the amount of pollen in the air and the warm temperature, it appeared to be mid to late spring. The Thoridian Empire was thousands of miles away, and with summer approaching, the thought of traveling in such hot weather made Vaati grimace.

He would have to walk, of course; he didn't really have a choice. The trains of New Hyrule didn't travel beyond the nation's borders, and any magical approaches had already been discarded. He had the brief notion of riding there before remembering that he didn't know how to ride a horse. The stupid animal would probably be a nuisance, anyway.

As if his pride could sink any lower.

The question now, though, was how he was going to keep himself supplied on the way there. New Hyrulean plant life was foreign to him, and he didn't want to accidentally eat something poisonous because of his ignorance. He couldn't hunt either; his skills with a bow were lacking at best. He supposed he could carry food and water in his magic pouch if it came to it, but he wouldn't have nearly enough to get him to the capital, wherever it was.

A frown tugged at the corners of his lips. The very grounding realization that he didn't even know where he was going hit him. While one of the maps he had taken from the _Indefatigable _was a detailed layout of the empire, his navigational skills were shaky at best, and that was if he was still in Hyrule. For all he knew, the stars here were completely different from the ones he was accustomed to.

Vaati's frustration slowly gave way to panic. Through his own arrogance, he had trapped himself in an iron cage, and the walls were quickly closing in around him.

"OI!" A loud voice behind him interrupted his thoughts. The clopping of hooves and clatter of wheels on cobble suddenly dominated his hearing. He quickly dove to the side of the road, his suppressed Minish instincts coming out from his stress. A horse-drawn carriage loaded with grain trundled past, leaving a thin trail of the seed behind it.

Mixed emotions of anger and embarrassment welled up inside him. Standing and brushing himself off with as much dignity as he could muster, he took a long look at the town before him. Buildings sprawled in messy disorder, with no pattern or consistency in placement or structure. People moved about with the quiet bustle of farm commerce, some leading with them horses and livestock to be loaded onto the cattle cars of a waiting locomotive. Tiny, specialized shops lined the main road, each identified by a sign over its door. A lone New Hyrulean flag fluttered gently atop the train station's clock tower.

Noting the messy state of his attire, Vaati felt a sense of gratefulness. The bourgeois clothes were caked with dirt and mud, accompanied by a few slight tears from his stay in the barn, helping to hide their wealthy origins. Even his bowler, which hadn't come in direct contact with the earth, was coated in a fine layer of dust.

Vaati stood awkwardly in front of the main road, unable to bring himself to act. Where was he even supposed to begin preparing for a journey like this? Scanning the buildings that lined the road, a particularly flashy sign caught his attention. A stack of barrels engulfed in red flames burned over the words, "The Powder Pyre".

_What better a place to start, _he thought in grim humor.

Making his way down the road, he hesitantly pushed open the door of the tavern. It was fairly quiet inside; besides the bartender, only a handful of people occupied the room. His eyes immediately flicked to the green and white uniform of a soldier, who sat in conversation with the bartender. Despite the exhausted expression on the soldier's face, Vaati remained wary.

The bartender looked up and smiled warmly at Vaati. "Welcome in! What can I get for you?"

Suddenly put on the spot, Vaati's mind blanked. What did they even serve in taverns, anyway? "I'll have an ale, if you please," he said, throwing out the most generic thing he could come up with.

"Any in particular?" the bartender questioned, moving over to the tabs.

What? "Surprise me."

The man returned with a large mug of dark, frothy liquid. Vaati grimaced; he smell the heavy alcohol from across the room.

The bartender laughed at his expression. "You asked for it, son."

"He asked for a drink, Scott, not to be knocked unconscious for the next three days," interjected the soldier.

"Don't listen to Horace, here, he doesn't know what he's talking about." Vaati slid a meager amount of rupees over the counter in exchange for the foul smelling drink. "Where are you from?" the bartender continued. "Can't say I've seen you around here before."

Vaati smiled amicably. "You haven't. My name's Arthur, here on commission for the Hyrulean government. I was sent with a committee to survey the population on income and expenses in light of the recent economic devastation caused by Vaati. You can probably imagine how the King's government is going into overdrive trying to fix the situation, but it seems as if things are equally hectic here."

The soldier, Horace, snorted into his beer. "Ain't that the truth. Ever since that bastard mage showed up here, Chancellor Stourbridge has put the entire Continental Army on alert." Vaati suppressed his indignation at the comment. "Doubling shifts, emptying garrisons... can't be too cautious, I suppose. I just got off an awful four hour watch myself, and what with the commotion last night, I think I'm about ready to collapse right here."

Scott leaned against the bar conspiratorially . "It's too bad he escaped again. From what I heard, the army almost had him last night."

Vaati nodded. "I was on the train that was attacked. It was just my luck that I managed to board the train here and escape the station before too much damage was caused. I was pretty shaken up, though, so I don't remember much of the trip here, only that I woke up in a barn outside of town." A hint of disdain crept into his voice at the end of his sentence as he motioned toward his ruined clothes. "As for Vaati... quite a fight took place, I can tell you that much. Those weapons of yours seem to be far more powerful than anything we have in Hyrule."

"What, muskets? I'm not surprised you haven't heard of them. Hyrule's monarchy bans a lot of our exports, supposedly by decree of the Goddesses themselves. Says they'll 'tarnish the purity of Hyrule' or some nonsense like that; absolutely ridiculous. If Hyrule had the industry we have here, not even Ganondorf would be able to take over without the help of a proper army." Horace took another swig from his mug.

"Proper army?" Vaati inquired, curious.

"Yes, proper army. I've heard enough reports from the upper brass to know that the 'armies' used to subdue Hyrule were nothing more than a bunch of monster hordes wandering aimlessly through the countryside. Not exactly the best tactics, especially when you look at what members of the resistance were able to do in comparison. Vaati and Ganondorf," he scoffed. "Idiots, the both of them."

Scott interrupted Vaati's silent fuming.

"In any case," he said, waving Horace off and turning the conversation to Vaati. "I take it you lost your luggage last night?"

"Unfortunately," Vaati responded in a curt voice. "I wasn't supposed to come here, either."

"Ah. Do you have somewhere to stay? A friend of mine owns an inn down the road. I might be able to convince him to lower the price considering your circumstances, if you'd like."

Vaati gave him a smile, but declined. "I'm not planning on staying here any longer than I have to. Is there a place where I can buy a map of the surrounding area? The one I have isn't as detailed as I would like it to be."

Horace stood, finished with his drink. "There's no shortage of those at the barracks. Meet me by the train station in an hour and I'll get you one," he said, putting on his green shako and grabbing the musket he had propped against the bar. "I'm going to go back to the barracks and get cleaned up. Good seein' ya, Scott."

"Try not to hurt yourself on the way back," Scott joked, noting Horace's somewhat disoriented movement.

"Yeah, yeah." Horace waved him off, leaving the building.

Vaati gave a slight bow. "It was a pleasure meeting you, but I think I'll be off as well."

Scott smiled and gave a slight wave. "Good luck on your endeavors!"

With that, Vaati made his way outside, leaving his untouched ale on the bar. The hands on the clock tower read three-thirty; Vaati hoped to leave Wellspring by six and get as far as he could before nightfall. Disguised or not, he was still being hunted.

For the next hour, Vaati wandered along the boulevard, looking through shops, buying necessities, and planning for his journey. He managed to find and buy a second magic pouch - an expensive item that was common among magicians - to serve as a travel pack alongside his original. By the time he started toward the train station, his first pouch had been emptied of unnecessary items, leaving only a few potions and his maps, and replaced with a bedroll, blanket, metal cutlery set, canteen, flint and steel, and compass. He also purchased some clothes, a new pair of boots, and an overcoat to protect him from the rain. His second pouch he left empty, hoping to fill it with enough food to last him until he reached the capital.

He spotted Horace, still in uniform, standing in front of the ticket counters with a bundle of papers tucked under his arm. Horace unraveled one of the maps as Vaati approached.

"I found you a map of all of New Hyrule, too, since I figured you would have lost your old one with your luggage," explained Horace when Vaati noted the contents. The map was much more comprehensive than the one he had, marking railroads and many more of the smaller towns. "We're here," he said, pointing to a tiny dot in the northeastern edge of New Hyrule. "If you want to make your way back to Castle Town or Teleu, I suggest you wait for the seven o'clock train to Moreen. You can transfer there and head back south, maybe explain your situation to the government." Horace rolled the map back up and handed the bundle to Vaati.

Thanking him, Vaati made his way back into town to finish preparing for his journey. With everything but food accounted for, he visited a grocer and completely filled his second pouch with a week's worth of canned food. Deciding that it would be best to eat before he left, he found a small, quiet diner and planned his route.

From what he could tell, Kaistover, Thorid's capital, was some four hundred and fifty miles to the northeast. The map of the areas around Wellspring revealed that, beyond a few miles out, roads slowly vanished into blank edges. A single railroad line extended farther north, but abruptly ended near the unexplored areas.

Vaati sighed, putting the maps away. _It will be worth it, I'm sure, _he told himself halfheartedly. Paying for his meal with an odd bill system, Vaati left the diner and followed the roads north, fifteen minutes ahead of schedule.

Within moments, Vaati found himself in the fields, finally escaping the provinces of the Goddesses.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Bleh. Next chapter we go back to Link and Zelda's sickeningly idealistic world AND IT WILL BE HORRIBLE.


	11. Commission

**Disclaimer: **Any and all publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are properties of their respective owners. I own everything associated with the Thoridian Empire.

**Author's Notes: **Foreshadowing galore!

* * *

><p><strong>Commission<strong>

"Tighten your guard!" shouted Edric, slipping past the defenses of a hapless soldier to land a blow on his stomach. The soldier gave a muffled grunt, the wind having been knocked out of him, but remained standing. Edric followed with a quick succession of punches, battering the soldier until his stance completely collapsed. Sweeping his legs out from under him, Edric knocked the soldier to the ground, standing over him in victory. Teasing jeers from his comrades besieged him as he lay crumpled on the flattened lawn.

Link grinned in amusement. He sat propped up against a shady maple, relaxing on the cool grass. For the first time in months, the tension of his quest was all but gone; He no longer had to worry about Zelda's safety, or the deteriorating state of the kingdom, or whether or not he was going to be violently attacked during his rest. His sword and shield sat safely in his room; his protective socks and worn leather boots lay discarded by his side. A soft breeze tousled his dirty blonde hair.

A platoon of soldiers gathered around the sparring grounds in Hyrule Castle's west courtyard, murmuring to each other in quiet observation. Ringing clangs of metal on metal and the shark clacks of wood on wood echoed off the castle's gleaming white walls, drowning out their words. Edric stood in the center of the ring of soldiers with another member of the castle guard, demonstrating techniques of hand-to-hand combat. Each soldier wore a padded jerkin of leather armor as a replacement of the normal, gleaming iron suits.

Edric helped his opponent back to his feet. "Don't just stand there like a post and not move. You have to anticipate. Seize the initiative," he directed, getting back into his fighting stance. "Try again."

"Yes sir," the soldier replied, following suit.

Link leaned his head back against the tree bark and closed his eyes, listening to the fight progress. The sound of cushioned clashes spiked out against the gentle rustling of the leaves. A few moments later, the muffled thump of a body hitting the ground reached his ears, accompanied by a fair deal of cursing.

"Oh come on," said Edric, exasperated. Link couldn't help but snicker. "That was a nice example of what not to do, but not what I was looking for. Get back in the circle," he ordered, pushing the man out of the ring. "Is there anyone here who can show us the proper way to fight?" A long, awkward silence followed; Hyrule was not known for its military strength. "Anyone at all?"

Allowing himself a long, satisfying yawn, Link pulled himself to his feet and stretched, his back crackling loudly. Rolling his broad shoulders to alleviate the cramped muscles, he abandoned the cool shade of the tree in favor of the hot summer sun. "I'll give it a shot," he said, entering the ring of soldiers. Several soldiers broke out into applause and cheering, while a few laughed at Edric's visibly pale face.

Still barefoot and without any armor, Link settled into his fighting stance, blocking the commotion going on around him. Link knew that, in a contest of outright physical power, Edric wouldn't stand a chance; Link was more than a head taller and over twice as thick as his opponent. Even so, he hung back and slowly circled Edric, searching for an opening in his defenses; theirs was a contest of finesse, not brute strength. He knew Edric well, and was aware that what Edric lacked in strength he made up for in lightning fast reflexes and ingenuity. He had learned plenty about underestimating his enemies by watching Vaati's identical, repeated mistakes.

The excited chatter of the men died out into silence, the soldiers watching in rapt attention as the two studied each other. Unlike Edric, Link could feel the ground under his feet in more detail; finding an imbedded stone he could launch from, Link tensed in preparation to attack.

"HYA!" shouted Edric, leaping forward. Against Link, he couldn't afford to be forced onto the defensive. Link deftly sidestepped, using his footing to his advantage. Edric immediately followed through with a barrage of light punches. He doubted he would be able to seriously hurt Link even if he tried; each punch felt like hitting a brick wall.

Despite his efforts, the hopelessness of Edric's situation quickly became obvious. His attacks became less frequent as Link pushed him back, seizing the offensive from him. Suddenly, the advantage shifted completely, and Edric found himself unable to do anything but watch himself be beaten. With each successive attack, his defense caved until it finally broke down entirely.

Seeing the hole, Link delivered the ending blow. Fear of breaking Edric's ribs made him hold back; even still, Edric was lifted off his feet and thrown onto his back several feet away. The group burst into cheers, congratulating Link's victory and Edric's valiant, if foolhardy, effort.

Link gave a slight smile, but otherwise avoided the praise and went to help the sputtering and coughing Edric to his feet. Edric shot him a slight look of scorn; he had hardly broken a sweat.

"Captain Russell-" Edric's wheezed command was cut off as he entered another fit of coughing. Edric waved him off toward the rest of the platoon, unable to find his voice. He excused himself from the ring, making his way to the tree Link had been sitting under earlier. He slumped against it, taking several deep breaths.

"I do not even faintly appreciate you embarrassing me in front of everyone," shot Edric irritably.

Link looked at his feet sheepishly. "Sorry," he muttered, half to himself.

"Although," Edric continued, "everyone else seems to be entertained by it." Link looked up to see a slight grin on Edric's face. Edric glanced back over at his platoon, watching Russell's failing attempts to get everyone to focus. His expression darkened. "Which is starting to become a real concern."

Link shrugged. "At least it boosts morale, right? It's not often they get to see their esteemed commander defeated so soundly," he replied in mock arrogance.

"I'm all for high morale, but not at the price of competence. If all our soldiers were like you, we'd never have to deal with these warlords that keep cropping up throughout history. The only thing that keeps us from being the laughingstock of the East is ancient prestige."

"Sir Edric! Master Link!" shouted a messenger boy from across the courtyard. Link reached to put on his boots while he approached. The boy stopped in front of them, out of breath, and gave both a deep bow. "King Daltof requests your presence in the council room immediately. Urgent news comes from New Hyrule."

Link and Edric exchanged nervous glances, their expressions fading to those of worry. Link felt a slight knot form in the pit of his stomach.

_Calm down, Link, you're overreacting, _he told himself. _It's probably just some diplomatic nonsense you don't understand. _Months of stressful fighting and adventuring had made unexpected news something to be wary of.

Edric thanked the boy, sending him scurrying back to the castle. "Captain Russell!" he shouted.

"Sir!"

"I'm putting you in charge! Follow the training schedule to the second! I won't tolerate any slacking off from any of you!"

"Yes sir!" came the reply. The brawny commander, in stark contrast to Edric's leadership style, immediately began barking orders.

"Let's go see what all this is about," muttered Edric, making his way toward the large oak doors that led to the soldiers' quarters of the castle. They briskly walked through the winding halls of the castle's lower levels, taking a more convoluted but less used route to the council room.

"You think it's something bad?" Link asked, sidestepping a large stack of heavy crates that servants were trying to carry into a storeroom.

Edric glanced over at Link's apprehensive expression. "Will you quit worrying about everything? You act like you're supposed to be some Goddess chosen hero responsible for protecting Hyrule. It's probably just some agreement regarding Hyrule's debt toward the East." He paused for a moment before adding, "...though why they need us to see it is beyond me."

Link couldn't help but grin, though it was soon replaced with a confused frown. "Debt? I didn't know we owed New Hyrule anything."

"I'm not surprised, what with you gallivanting after Zelda and not having the time to pay attention to much else. Close as you may be to the princess, there's a lot you don't know about the politics of Hyrule. Where do you think all the food and weapons came from? Hyrule's economy relies on magic, and many of our magicians were slaughtered during Vaati's reign. We owe a lot to our neighbors, especially the Gerudo, and it will take quite a while go repay them."

Link's frown deepened. "Is that why they were so bitter toward me when I traveled there?"

"That's part of it. The Gerudo have been bitter toward Hyrule for centuries anyway. The Gerudos prowess in battle is matched only by the Hylians - a rare race which both you and Zelda belong to - but their magic is weak and they live in an inhospitable land. They only thrive with Hyrule's aid, and they do not take going unrewarded lightly."

Link fell silent at the thought. He had come across the Gerudo on a few occasions during his adventure, and on each encounter he was regarded with both suspicion and open contempt. He had even been robbed twice by Gerudo bandits. To think that circumstances would drive them to such bitterness, even when Hyrule was flourishing, made him feel guilty.

"It seems a little unfair, don't you think?"

Edric shrugged. "It's how it's always been. Nothing changes in Hyrule."

They lapsed into silence as they approached the ornate side doors leading to the council room. A guard saluted them as they rounded a corner, holding the door to the chamber open. Link gave the guard a quiet thanks and stepped inside.

The inside of the room was, much to Link's surprise, a cozy space of velvet chairs and rich mahogany wood. A glowing fire and magical lanterns provided warm light in the windowless room. King Daltof sat in a large throne-like chair at the head of the table, flanked by various nobles, generals, and councilmen. A lone messenger stood off to the side, holding a rolled piece of parchment.

Link and Edric gave a deep bow.

"Your majesty," greeted Edric.

The portly king cut his conversation with his generals. "Ah, Sir Edric and Master Link. Have a seat," he motioned to the empty chairs at the opposite end of the table. "Grave news has arrived from New Hyrule." Link felt the knot in his stomach return.

At the king's motion, the messenger stepped forward, unrolling the parchment. The message was brief and to the point.

_To His Royal Majesty King Daltof XIV and Council,_

_Magicians and soldiers of the New Hyrulean Continental Army confirmed on May the Second the presence of the Sorcerer of Winds, Vaati, within our borders. Following the involvement of the Lokomo and the failure of two attempts to arrest him, he has escaped the containment of the Continental Army and eluded all subsequent attempts to relocate him. Reports from the Lokomo claim his duels with the army severely drained him of magical energy despite his escape. The Continental Army has been mobilized and is sweeping the nation in search. Orders of immediate execution of Vaati upon discovery have been issued. Project Vaati's location to be hidden within New Hyrule. Suggest placing Hyrule's army on alert and warning its neighbors as a precaution._

_Signed,_

_Lord Stiel_

_Chancellor Stourbridge_

For a brief moment, silence fell over the room.

Link's apprehensive gaze turned into an icy blue glare. "He will not dare to come near Zelda again," he threatened in a low voice.

Daltof fidgeted with a wrinkle in his robes. "We received the news but a few short hours ago. The Council has since made a decision. General McKellen," Daltof motioned to a finely dressed general with a bushy mustache.

The general cleared his throat. "As the specifics are unknown to us, we cannot afford to take any chances. That is why we have decided that you, Sir Edric, are traveling to New Hyrule."

Edric's eyes widened in shock. "What?!"

"You more than any other knight in Hyrule know how to defeat Vaati's hordes. If Vaati gains a foothold across the sea, it would cost us many years and many lives to dislodge him. You are to serve as an advisor to Lord Stiel and his army to prevent any such occurrence."

Edric sat silently fuming for several moments. When he spoke, it was with repressed anger. "With all due respect, sir, New Hyrule needs no help from us. Vaati's reign leaves Hyrule's economy shattered and its military utterly demoralized, and you think to send me away? It took my men and I months to devise any means of counterattack. This poorly conceived idea would do more to harm Hyrule than any good it would do in the East."

Daltof chortled carelessly to himself. "Nonsense. As long as Link is at our side, we have nothing to fear. Isn't that right, my boy?"

"So one would hope," said Link.

Daltof waved him off. "You don't give yourself nearly enough credit. Hyrule will be fine."

"Your majesty," Edric continued, frustrated. "You have not left the castle since your daughter first disappeared. You overestimate Hyrule's state of affairs. Beyond the walls of this city, Hyrule's citizens still starve in the wreckages of their homes. Monsters still roam free across the countryside. Hyrule is far from fine."

Daltof's expression became stern. "When last I checked, Daltof, not Edric, was king of Hyrule. Do not think to lecture to me; I know well enough what happens beyond my sight. You are going to New Hyrule, knight, whether you wish to or not."

Edric's face reddened and he sat forward in his chair as if to stand and challenge the monarch. A quick look from Link convinced him to back down.

"And how do you propose I get there?" asked Edric, his voice bitter. "I hope you would at least provide me with a magician powerful enough to warp me."

A councilman shook his head. "Hyrule cannot afford to weaken its magicians any more than they already are. A ship is waiting for you in the port of Mido."

Edric's jaw dropped in incredulity. "A ship?! It would be nearly a month before I arrived."

"It is our only option."

Edric laughed in open mockery. "Your only option? And I suppose you're going to have me walk all the way to Mido for fear that Hyrule's cavalry will cease to exist? Whether His Majesty admits it or not, monsters still walk free in the fields; who would serve as my escort?"

"We can provide you with a platoon of soldiers for protection and horses for the journey. There is no need to worry," offered General McKellen.

"A platoon is nearly half of the soldiers garrisoned in the castle," Edric snorted. Before anyone else could respond, Link finally spoke up.

"I will go with him." Everyone, including Edric, looked at him with surprise. The long silence that followed broke with Edric's voice.

"What of Zelda?" he inquired, knowing Link would be wholly unwilling to leave her side.

"She's coming with us."

Daltof immediately protested. "Absolutely not. I will not allow my daughter and sole heir of the monarchy out of Castle Town until I know for certain that any chance of harm is removed. The Hylian monarchy, chosen to lead Hyrule by the Golden Goddesses themselves, has already dissolved in Labrynna and New Hyrule; I will not see it collapse in Hyrule as well."

Link met the king's gaze unfazed. His cobalt eyes bore into Daltof until the king began to shift uncomfortably. "Zelda is safer with me than with ten thousand of Hyrule's guards, and I leave regardless. She is coming with us."

After several tense moments, Daltof caved with a heavy sigh. "Very well."

Seeing everyone was agreed, if begrudgingly, General McKellen gave his order. "The ship will be prepared to depart in three days. Be ready to leave early tomorrow morning."

"Yes sir," muttered Edric in defeat. "Is that all?"

Daltof gave a tired nod. "Yes, you are dismissed. Be gone." Edric stood and gave a curt bow, turned on his heels, and stormed out of the room.

"Your majesty," acknowledged Link with a tilt of his head before following.

Once outside, Edric didn't bother to hide his anger. "Absolutely ridiculous, the lot of them. King Daltof's council will be the downfall of Hyrule."

Link sighed heavily. "There's no changing Daltof's mind once he's made it. At least you get to travel to New Hyrule. Didn't you say once that you wanted to go there?"

"I wanted to go there as an adventure of my own, not on some foolish errand for no end," snapped Edric. A string of quiet curses flowed from him in undertones.

They walked in relative silence back through the halls of the castle. Even when Link tried to focus on the magnificent gleam of the restored arches and banners that lined the walls or the beauty of the renewed castle gardens outside, he could still sense the bitter anger pouring onto him from Edric.

A time later, Edric ran a hand through his hair in dejection. "I'm going to go start preparing. If we're really taking Zelda with us, you'd best go find her." His voice sounded weary.

"I will. Be at the stables at seven tomorrow," said Link. Edric gave a slight nod and broke off, sulking down a side hall at a miserable pace. Link weaved his way through the decorated halls of the noble rooms, knocking on Zelda's door when he arrived. Several moments without an answer prompted him to knock again. When the hall remained silent, he closed his eyes and strained his mind for Zelda's familiar touch.

Like all powerful magicians, Zelda, the most powerful sorceress in the world, had the ability to establish a telepathic connection with any one person she chose. Who better to choose, then, but her childhood friend and Hero?

The connection, only newly formed, was still weak, but its range had increased significantly since its creation. Link, however, unable to use magic himself, found using it difficult. Several moments of flailing about with his mind rewarded him with the faint, soft touch of their bond. Her response was immediate, directing him to Castle Town's library.

His trip across the open town brought him in contact with the warm, humid spring air that promised a hot summer. His happiness for the passing of the year's frigid winter was slightly displaced by the faint whiff of evil still lingering in the land. Even now, he could smell the shadowy stench of moblin and the alluring yet deadly aroma of the deku babas.

The excited chatter of Zelda's voice greeted Link's entry of the library. Weaving his way through the nearly empty building, he came across her happily explaining something to her guard, blissfully unaware of the young recruit's confusion.

"Link!" she called, cutting off her animated lecture. She gave him a stern look, somehow putting her hands on her hips despite holding a very large book on magic in science. "It's about time you got up, sleepyhead. I thought you might forget about me."

Link gave her a broad smile. "How could I ever?"

"Lazing away under maple trees all day, that's how. But look!" she exclaimed, thrusting the book into Link's hands. "I found out how Vaati was keeping me subdued in his palace. The bracelets he forced me to wear were filled with augmented boron, which is a unique magical element that can dampen any magic in its vicinity. See, the element can be contaminated by the augmented neutrons from Hyrule's heart flowers, its natural source. All the properties of any element contaminated..."

Link looked up at the guard apologetically. Zelda was the keeper of the Triforce of Wisdom; a strong sorceress - by all rights even more powerful than Vaati - and a brilliant mind, she took great interest in magic and the sciences. However, her enthusiasm and understanding was often lost on others, including Link.

"...we could find a way to treat other elements, we could change the very nature of Hyrule!"

"Zelda," Link interrupted.

"Hm?" she mumbled, pulling her eyes away from the book in Link's hands. He hated to ruin her excitement.

"I was right; Vaati was never sealed properly, and he escaped to New Hyrule. Edric and I are leaving for Mido in the morning."

Zelda's eyes widened. "What?" she asked in a whisper. "You're leaving?"

Link nodded. "Just for a week. I'm only taking Edric to Mido and coming back."

Zelda's distress wasn't alleviated. "You can't just leave me here all alone. What if he comes back?" Her face fell. "He tormented me with Hyrule's suffering every day of my captivity. I could do nothing to help; I still can do nothing to help. My people are devastated, and Father refuses to let me out of the city. I don't want to be cooped up in the castle by myself."

Link set her book aside and pulled her into a protective hug. Taking her by the shoulders, he looked her in her eyes. "I talked to your father today. You're welcome to come with us if you'd like." He knew he had insisted that Zelda was coming to Daltof, but he hated making demands to her.

"Are you sure? I'm still weak from my imprisonment; I won't be able to defend myself as well. What if-"

"Zelda," he cut her off. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright, trust me." He gave her a warm smile when she finally nodded. "Now come on, let's go get ready."

With a dismissing nod to her guard, Link led Zelda back to the outside world.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>FANTASY SCIENCE. I decided to take a completely different approach to Link's physical appearance and abilities, but there is a reason for it. The ultimate goal of this story is to successfully convey two different allegories: One by comparing and contrasting Vaati's and Link's separate characters and how they develop, and one through the overall plot. With any luck, it will start to make sense in a few chapters once things get going.

I will admit, the last part of the chapter doesn't seem all that realistic, even to me. Just like Vaati, Link and Zelda's characterization would have been so much easier and believable if I had started this story earlier in the time setting than I did. Also my dialogue seems a bit too blunt and straightforward for natural conversation, but I'm working on it. I'll just have to improvise like I had to with Vaati.

Critiques, suggestions, praise, and downright bashing are all encouraged in the reviews. Your thoughts are invaluable, and I enjoy reading them!


	12. The End

**Disclaimer: **Any and all publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are properties of their respective owners. I own everything associated with the Thoridian Empire.

**Author's Notes: **Hm

**The End**

Link loosened and retightened the saddle straps on Epona, aimlessly fiddling with his gear while he waited for Edric and Zelda to arrive. The sun had just begun to rise over the horizon, and the air was surprisingly cold for a spring morning. Far to the east, the hazy blue outlines of the Allechion Mountains rose above the forested hills of central Hyrule.

Dragging, heavy footsteps reached his ears from the road behind him. Edric led his horse toward the city's drawbridge, looking as if he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. His eyes were baggy and his head drooped, lolling lazily from side to side. A packhorse followed him from behind.

"Morning!" Link chirped, beaming at his friend. Edric did his best to glare at him.

"Glad to see someone's so chipper this early."

Link's grin grew even wider. "And no rest for the wicked, it seems."

**THE END.**

**Author's Notes: **HOOOO BOY. Long time no see, fellas. Seeing as I managed to gain at least a _little _respect as an author here, I feel like I ought to give you guys the story.

This work is what brought me into writing here, and as I note in hindsight, it's also what kicked me out. My friend and I, the same friend who's been excellent for bouncing ideas around with an generally proofreading this stuff, originally developed this idea starting way back in my freshman year of high school. As is generally the case, it was loaded with Mary Sues and pure, unadulterated terribleness. We managed to _sort of_ get out of that phase reasonably quickly, and I took over the development while he generally just provided momentary flashes of genius - literally NONE of which have been able to make an appearance yet.

As it turned out, we realized that while I had shifted to a more reasonable outline, a select few - and I do mean few - elements from the original draft remained. Unfortunately, despite overhauling just about everything we could without me going back and rewriting it from the beginning, those select few elements had us stranded in the water. As writing continued, it became clear that unless we figured out how to get around these problems as quickly as possible, it would only continue to get more and more convoluted when I tried to resolve it at the end. As I'm sure you can guess, we didn't figure it out. It was, and is, physically impossible to take the premise we started with and resolve it with the ending we wanted short of flying in the face of reason and hoping for the best.

So, about a year ago(?), I stopped writing and turned to development. The solutions hit roadblock after roadblock for three months until we finally decided we were sunk and I boxed the entire project. This is as far as I got in the next chapter (for whatever reason, I guess as some sort of joke I'm now not understanding, it was titled temporarily as Holy Bible). Feeling like I wasted a ton of time for nothing, I just ultimately stopped writing period.

Now though, almost done with my freshman year in university, I'm aiming to get started again. I went back through all my old files, especially the outline for this disaster, and decided to consider revising it. The story is workable, though it needs revision. The premise will need to be completely overhauled, however, and that will take some time. I hope to restart it from the beginning by the middle of September, but no guarantees can be made there. In the meantime, looking through my old drafts and proposals, there are a few things I can do while redeveloping "Triptych" (I also intend to retitle it).

So, if any of my old readership is still alive and seeing this, welcome back. If you're new, be glad you missed the confused inconsistency of the writing process for this story. If anyone's interested in seeing what I have planned out while I work through this, go give my profile a visit. There'll be an explanation there.

Thanks to everyone who supported me while this lasted, and I'll do my best not to disappoint in the future. See ya soon!

~Tux


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